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Gardening Tip of the Day
Cabbage butterfly larvae are a severe pest of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and other brassica plants. Mint is a natural way to control the butterflies.
The cabbage butterflies lay yellow, oval eggs on the underside of leaves in May and June, and again July to September. Checking the undersides of the leaves can be helpful, but 100 percent removal of eggs is almost impossible. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars are almost invisible as they are the same color as the leaves of the plants.
Cabbage butterflies use scent to find the plants, and some odors make it impossible for the butterflies to find the brassica plants. Mint has been found to be one of the best aromas to repel the butterflies.
Placing mint plants among the brassica plants will keep the butterflies away.
Be warned that mint plants can easily take over a garden bed since the roots spread rapidly. An easy way to protect the brassicas is to place several pots of mint plants in the beds. They can be easily removed when desired leaving the garden bed free of any mint.
For more information…….read:
Mint Repels Cabbage Butterflies
Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2022
