pieris rapae

It is amazing the things that can be learned when something new is tried. With every plant that we put in the ground we become associated with a whole new universe of hungry bugs. Our lack of pesticide leaves us locked in an intimate relationship with potato beetles, cucumber beetles, squash borers and crickets.

This year, my personal favorite is the cabbage worm. Our particular variety is the larvea of the Small White butterfly (pieris rapae). They lay single cream colored eggs on the underside of our cabbage, broccoli and kale. In five to seven days they hatch and begin to wreak havoc on our plants. I had thought that we could control them with hand powered insecticide, (squishing) but their population seems to have exploded.

They can reduce kale to a sad looking stalk and ruin a cabbage head in an afternoon. However, against this tide of white fluttering wings and munching larvae there is hope. This week I will be investing in floating row covers and some plants that are reported to deter the pesky butterfly. The row covers will deter the moths from laying eggs.

We do have friends to help us with the cabbage worms. Today I say a wasp happily munching away on one. There are also wasps that lay eggs inside the worms. The wasp larvae then consume the worm before developing into adults.

Despite the constant battle between us and our small enemies the garden is extremely rewarding. It offers us our zen moment, out in the sun pulling weeds and squashing bugs.

Today was the first day that members could come pick up produce from our small cooperative. I was nervous. After all of the care and devotion that we gave to the produce as it was growing I dare say that we love it. It was almost as if people were coming to pick up puppies when they came for their produce. I hope they'll give it a good home.