Best organic pesticide for Cabbage Moths/Worms?

[muggs]

The cabbage moths have really been hitting our broccoli, sprouts, and cauliflower hard for the last week. I bought some Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew and apply it according to the label. It hasn't really seemed to help much.

I've read mixing flour with cayenne pepper and dusting your plants works, but before I go that route, I'm wondering what any of you may have tried with good success against these little b^st^rds?

[PunkRotten]

Yeah I have caught them on some radishes I have. I just picked them all of by hand they gave me a real hard time last year. Try to attract their natural predator is one way to get some help. Which I plant to try and do this Fall. For immediate response I think Diatomaceous Earth works against them too.

[Tonio]

BT- Bacillus thuringiensis, and yes I had to look up the spelling

Allthough said to be non wide spectrum, there have been reports of effecting bees and monarch butterflies.

[bangstrom]

I have had great luck with Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt). This is a micro organism that kills larval forms of moths and butterflies by producing crystals in their digestive tracts that interfere with digestion and the larva quit eating and die. I am not aware of any problems with bees and monarchs are safe as long as you don't spray it on their milkweed. There have been suspected problems with butterflies eating pollen from GM plants containing Bt crystals in their pollen but that is another matter.

[rainbowgardener]

Yeah, not harmful to honeybees. Will be harmful to any caterpillars that eat it, including butterfly caterpillars.

The idea for organic gardeners who are trying to allow a natural system in their garden with beneficial insects, etc. is to interfere as little as possible. So even if you have to use something like Bt or Neem oil, you use it where the problem is, you don't go spraying your whole garden. Know what it is you are treating and treat that.