Flea Beetles (Chrysomelidae family) These little beetles like to chomp on your kale, leaving tiny pits and holes in the leaves. Although these beetles are small, they often arrive in large numbers, and can do a lot of damage.
What is eating my kale at night?
While slugs and snails have been known to eat from kale, your culprit is most likely going to be caterpillars.
How do you revive kale plants?
Use sharp scissors or a knife to cut their stems at an angle, about an inch from the bottom. Then pop them in a glass of water, put them back in the fridge, and they’ll be just like new in a few hours!
Is it OK to eat kale that has bug holes?
Fortunately, there’s good news! Greens with holes in them that were created by feeding insects or slugs should be fine to eat, if you cut away the damaged parts.
What can I spray on kale for aphids?
Soapy water (a drop or two of dish soap or Dr. Bronner’s in your watering can or spray bottle) kills them easily.
How do you keep pests off kale?
Mix water and a few drops of nontoxic dish detergent and put it into a spray bottle. Spritz the kale leaves with the soapy water. This coats the leaves with a bitter residue that repels bugs, while also suffocating any existing pests.
How do you get rid of pests on kale?
Products containing pyrethrins kill a variety of insects, including flea beetles. To use, spray your product of choice on your kale plants, these compounds work by affecting insects’ nervous systems, and products quickly kill pests. Another natural insecticide that kills beetles is spinosad.
Can you overwater kale?
Remember, kale can be planted early spring as soon as the soil is workable. Water regularly if it doesn’t rain – most plants thrive on about 1 inch of rain per week. As with many other plants, be careful not to overwater, which may cause the roots to rot.
Why does kale wilt so fast?
If it’s in water for too long, the leaves and stem will become oversaturated and wilt. Fresh kale should last about a week in the fridge.
Does kale need lots of water?
Kale likes a nice, even supply of water, about 1 to 1.5 inches per week. You can measure how much water rain has provided by using a rain gauge in the garden. Mulch with compost, finely ground leaves, weed-free hay, straw, pine needles, or finely ground bark to keep the soil cool and moist and to keep down weeds.
What bugs lay eggs on kale?
Cabbage Worms
In addition to mating, they are laying eggs on every kale, cabbage, and broccoli plant they can find. This educational video tracks the cabbage worm life cycle from egg to butterfly – a drama every vegetable gardener should understand.
Can I eat kale that had aphids on it?
The best way to remove the aphids is to submerge the vegetables in cold water for at least 10 minutes. Then drain, rinse them off, and dry them. Salad spinners are perfect for this. Once the aphids have been drowned and rinsed off, the greens are perfectly safe to eat.
What causes aphid infestation?
Aphids become more of a problem when things get out of whack, which can happen when plants are stressed by drought, poor soil conditions, or overcrowding.
What does aphids look like?
Aphids are small, 1/16- to 1/8-inch-long (2-4 mm), pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects. They can range in color from green, black, red, yellow, brown or gray. Mature aphids can be wingless or can have wings. Winged aphids are similar in color but are a little darker.
Why do aphids keep coming back?
The primary reasons aphids keep coming back is because of their constant reproduction, ability to hide, and ability to move to new plants. Controlling pests, especially aphids, is not a once-and-done deal.
What bugs eat kale leaves?
Master gardeners: What to do about kale-eating critters
- Flea beetles. These leave many tiny holes.
- Cabbage worms. These leave large and jagged holes in leaves.
- Diamondback moth. These leave holes on bottom of leaves that are visible from the top.
- Slugs or snails. These leave large bite holes in leaves.
How do I keep bugs from eating my leaves?
Use 1 tablespoon of mild soap (like dish soap or castile soap) to 1 cup of vegetable oil. Mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil mix to 1 quart of water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the top and bottom of each leaf where the insects are dwelling and the stems if needed.
Why are there holes in my plant?
Holes From Slugs and Snails
If you find holes in leaves but no bugs, visit your garden with a flashlight at night. That’s when slugs and snails do their dirty work. Slugs and snails chew leaf holes in many plant types, including hibiscus, hosta, basil, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and pepper plants.
How do you get rid of cabbage worms in kale?
Spraying with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) every 1 to 2 weeks will also help control cabbage family pests. Sevin also is effective. And, the few pests that remain on the vegetables can be washed out after harvest using water and a small amount of detergent or other surfactant.
How do I keep slugs off my kale?
What You’ll Learn
- Trapping.
- Erect a Barrier.
- Use Black Plastic Mulch.
- Avoid Organic Mulch.
- Plant in Raised Beds.
- Let Ducks Loose in Your Garden.
- Buy Predatory Slugs.
- Use Slug and Snail Bait.
How do I keep bugs from eating my plants naturally?
Spread crushed eggshells beneath the targeted plants and creepy-crawlies will move along. Make A Stink: Many aromatic herbs, like yarrow, citronella, mint, fennel, catnip, basil, and lemongrass are natural deterrents for garden pests from aphids to potato beetles.