Gardening Question From Moira:

Green caterpillars are eating our Bok Choy so I got your book out!!!! learned to spray BT. Our bottle may be 5 years old.

The local nursery worker did not know what BT is, so I wasn’t able to buy a new bottle.

So I started reading online. One suggestion is to sprinkle diotomacious earth (fossilized seashell) powder around them.

Another is to apply a citrus spray or hot pepper spray. I’m about to try both the DE and the pepper spray (it’s a recent purchase so
It should be good).

I have tried a diluted dish soap spray, no impact. I could almost hear the caterpillars asking for a conditioner, after their shampoo.

The nursery sold me another pest spray that is bee safe, but must be sprayed directly onto the caterpillar. So I just did that, lil thing reacted, but one has to be out there watching like a hawk to get them. We travel, and I don’t know what to do when I’m not here to tackle it every day🙄

It turns out Bok Choy is irresistible to those 🐛s. If there’s something I haven’t tried yet that I should, thanks for letting me know.

I might dig some of them up and take them to a neighbors, while we’re in Laguna beach for 2-3 days later this week. Otherwise I think they’ll all be eaten

Photo by jules:stonesoup

Answer From Pat:

“Safer” Brand spray is Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) already mixed and ready to use. It is a sad fact that many nursery people are ignorant regarding products, plants and gardening. They are hired to check you out with your credit card. (BTW: 5 years old Bt is no good.)

If there is any water on diatomaceous earth it no longer works. Dew is enough to ruin it. Or a sprinkler, more so.

If you are going away and have gotten rid of the pests, you can cover the row with Floating Row Cover to prevent the moths and butterflies that lay the eggs that hatch as caterpillars from reaching your crops. Plants grow well under Floating Row Cover. It works like a dream. Only reason I don’t use it because I don’t like the appearance. If I were you, I would use it when traveling and be happy knowing your veggies are protected.

Before applying the Floating Row Cover, Go out at night with a flashlight. Pick off all caterpillars and other pests, throw them in a bucket of soapy water to drown. Best to do this more than once since more eggs might hatch.

Photo by timsackton