Homemade Pesticides for Cabbage Worms

Cabbage worms are a problem for gardeners. They typically invade green, leafy plants, such as lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and kale. The cabbage butterfly is small, approximately 1-1/2 to 2-inches across, with white wings, which have one or two distinctive black or gray spots. The cabbage worm is about an inch long, velvety green and moves as an inch-worm. It is the caterpillar that damages plants, but keeping an eye out for the butterfly and the eggs, which are small, yellowish and small and laid on the underside of leaves, is a good way to keep on top of any problem.

Mix 2 tbsp. of ordinary table salt into a gallon of water. Put this mixture into a spray bottle and spray the solution directly onto the worms and the leaves. These worms are extremely sensitive to salt and generally die within a day or two.

Mix 2 to 3 tbsp. of cayenne pepper powder into half a gallon of water and bring it to a boil. Allow the cayenne pepper to steep in the water for 30 to 45 minutes. One-half cup of chopped, dried cayenne pepper can be used in place of the powder. Allow the chopped peppers to steep for 30 to 45 minutes as well. Apply it after the solution cools.

Add 8 to 10 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus oil into the cayenne water and mix well. Fill a spray bottle with the cayenne pepper and eucalyptus oil mixture and mist it on both the top and bottom of the leaves most at risk from cabbage worms.

Add 8 to 10 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus oil into the cayenne water and mix well. Fill a spray bottle with the cayenne pepper and eucalyptus oil mixture and mist it on both the top and bottom of the leaves most at risk from cabbage worms.