Control Catepillars In The Garden Organically And Effectively

[@TheMillennialGardener]

How do you deal with caterpillars and worms in your garden? Tell us in the comments below!

[@unafilliatedx2310]

I have officially started taking notes. 🤓🤓🖒🖒

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Trial and error beats all 😁

[@Downie520]

Thanks for the video. I have been manually taken the caterpillars off with my hands and after I was away for a whole week it became a caterpillar infestation. This video helpd alot.

[@thebullwhisperer916]

Wasps

[@juliebarnett9812]

Thank you.

[@deechr1602]

Best video for this problem: quick, to the point, factual, helping with shopping for products.

[@championhomestead6273]

Still good advise 3 years later. Over night little green caterpillars invaded my The Sisters garden.

[@jayroe725]

First time gardener of tomatoes and peppers here in New Orleans. I tried neem oil soap mixture. I think the pests actually got worse after I sprayed! I also planted basil and marigolds in same pots. The caterpillars ate that, too! You're right. Over night distruction. Caterpillars everywhere. I resorted to using a dust I had on hand. That seemed to work but I'll try the spray you used here next time. I like that it doesn't hurt polinators. Thanks for posting this. I've only found one other video about caterpillars.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

jayroe725 BT is the most effective way to kill caterpillars I’ve found. I don’t use neem anymore. I believe it is virtually useless and the sun burns plants covered in neem. I think it causes more damage than it helps prevent.

[@jayroe725]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yes, the neem did burn my plants the first time I used it. I'll try BT. Thanks!

[@sewhealthy560]

I have grown parsley for years and have never experienced the parsley worm until this year. I guess because we had such a mild winter. Although, he’s a beautiful worm, I would rather harvest my parsley. I removed the worms, although I am terribly afraid of a caterpillar, 😂😂. I cut off the branches where they were and scooped them up. I knew you would have the answer and you did. I immediately ordered the BT from Amazon. Thanks again for your expertise.

[@tmontero8492]

As an older lady gardener, I find lugging a large sprayer filled with 2 gallons of liquid around my garden exhausting and tend to put off spraying. I purchased an inexpensive (

[@Scandinavian_Pride]

For the Horn Worm - I purchased a fairly inexpensive ultra violet light (UV light). At night I walk my garden shining my plants very close. The Horn Worm (no matter its size) will illuminate like a tiny green light bulb. Even some caterpillars will light up!

[@kawaiisenshi2401]

Ty!

[@TheRealtalk617]

Thank you! 4 caterpillars went to town on 4 of my tomato plants today. Lucky for me i caught them in time during my afternoon watering.

[@map1537]

This stuff is the best always works 100 of the time . I accidentally used to much and no problem the next day

[@AM-tc9ct]

PNW location here. This is the first time I’m growing Siletz. So happy to hear about other’s growing experiences. Slow seasonal start on our coast, but plants are picking up. Looking at fruits in September.

[@tahoe829]

Thanks so much for your videoes on this pest and how to control it. I was ready ti buy Neem oil Max but saw your video and changed my mind real fast! I picked up some Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew Concentrate… i found two this morning after looking at chewed up leaves.. Thanks again for your knowledge and channel.. Hopefully i can get the impending worm bloom off my Husky Cherry Red plant. Im up in NJ and what a miserable heat wave this is.. Stay cool and Godbless!

[@mred3608]

Just yesterday I was looking at my dwarf Tasmanian Chocolate tomatoe and noticed some caterpillars. I should have sprayed before but have been distracted. Yes, BT is the way to go. It is very popular here in australia also. You want to keep as many good bugs in your garden as possible.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I agree. Soft-bodied caterpillars are among the easiest pests to kill. Bringing out broad spectrum pesticides, especially in our fall when pest pressure is lower, does more harm than good in my opinion. BT is incredibly toxic to them, too. Its potency is out of this world, so it isn’t just better for the environment, but it is extremely effective.

[@Famcke]

Omgoodness so glad I came across this video. I just found those buggers on my tomatoes🤣 💙🙏

[@jackiesicilian5720]

Just sprayed today, pray to God it works. Hate caterpillars. Ugh.

[@ememist]

Skip to 3:06 for caterpillar killer sprayer

[@dianevitale1214]

Live near you. Rains often at this time. Sprayed worrying bout rains later. Also, wondering once BT diluted if liquid still in spray bottle can be saved for next time. TYVM

[@nmnate]

We had a moth problem this spring until a brown bat moved in and ate everything. It night roosts on our front porch. We are really lucky - I'm going to try and build a bat house next spring. For caterpillars in general, I hear parasitic and other types of wasps are really good at natural population control. You may be able to do some exclusion type control by netting your garden beds if it gets really bad. Might have to put the nets up when the pest pressure is low and then manually remove pests as they appear.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

NM Nate life is easier if your yard is protected by Batman. I wouldn’t mind having bats. Maybe I’ll look into a “bat house.” I’ve had it with wasps. I haven’t gotten stung in years and got stung 3 times this year by them. They are serious pests if you have figs. They really mess with trees and love to nest in them.

[@T_M___]

I found this exact product at Brinkmann's

[@elzy133]

😮 I didn’t know moths laid eggs on the plants who eat them lol I’ve just seen them pollinating. This is good to know, the caterpillars go to town on my flowers 😭

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

U keep the mulch covered and treat the mulch over winter. Before use it as a ground cover. Under them an remove any leafs close too the ground. Even of lose the leafs on a butter nut for example it will grow more vines late in the year if treatment is soon enough

[@elisabethjones4917]

Your earlier videos are so very different. I think this is the first video I've ever heard music on, lol. Anyway, you were all very helpful! QUESTION: Can I mix the BT chemical with neem oil and cayenne pepper water, and it still be effective? No chemical suffering for me?

[@ibelongs.tojesus6439]

Thanks I am the first gardener and my cabbage is dying I w try that spray

[@jeannestrader6471]

I think I have tent caterpillar’s that comes off of a tree that’s close to my patio. Should I get this and is there anything else I can do while waiting for the sprayer.

[@jmoney3091]

Do you need to wash it off if you apply to flower or fruits at some point or just leave it there?

[@Omegawerewolfx]

I'm dealing with hornworms right now. The good thing is I have a few infested with parasitic wasps. I toss the non-infested ones to the birds, I let the wasps do their thing. The main thing is I have to be out every morning and every night to check and double check to keep the surge in check.

[@verrettjared]

What about using on irish moss? I too do not want to kill beneficial bugs or the microbiology in the soil

[@kayBTR]

Does Diatomaceous Earth work on tomato caterpillars? Just asking because I have some. Thanks

[@spangler9792]

BT is very expensive (in the UK) considering its short shelf life. Where can you purchase the size of bottle you are using in the video?

[@scooterg166]

Thanks for the info.

[@popholmes5825]

I only grow tomatoes 10 to 12 plants. The only worm I have problems with is horn worms. I keep a close eye on my plants and pick all the horn worms off. Don't like putting any kind of chemical on my tomatoes.

[@DickTracy420]

Is this a chemical? I’m pretty sure it’s an organic concentrate

[@Freedom2025-x2b]

Would you use BT to control pickle worms? How do you make sure any BT that lands on tomatoes, etc is cleaned up. What do you wash your veggies with? Baking soda? Thank you

[@williamcarr3976]

Since BT is a bacteria, you could probably just use an antibacterial soap. But I think the BT bacteria only remain active for 48 hours

[@Cldfsn0200]

What is the shelf life of BT spray concentrate?

[@JD-2-k3g]

I have to do a 1 gallon bc I can't carry a two gallon around w out getting injured.

[@Grow103]

My tomatoes leaves always have holes in there leaves so today morning i went to go water them and i saw a cabbage worm caterpillar i was trying to take it of but its grip was too tight are they the one who are making my plant not grow?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Probably, yes. I just squish them with my bare fingers when there are only a couple. However, now is the time to treat with Spinosad or BT, because if you see one, there is probably a bloom heading your way. The eggs hatch in waves.

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

Its that mulch. Is the reason its occurring

[@jeromepatoux9719]

Is this organic? Should we still apply when the plants have fruits?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, if you buy certified organic. Most of them are. It's just a bacteria. It's sort of like spraying your plants with yogurt. The bacteria is toxic to the worms, but not you.

[@luke0b708]

Thanks mate

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@ferrari3292]

What about spinosad?

[@jeffreybailey2442]

The moths were horrible this year in North Carolina. All my plants have been affected by caterpillars. Powders is the only thing that worked for me.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Agreed. They were horrific. I bet it has something to do with the extreme heat all the way until October. It probably extended their breeding season. BT is extremely effective, but since it doesn’t stick around on the plants, you have to spray regularly. I try to avoid the powders where I can because it can kill pollinators, it is most costly and it is pretty breezy by the coast and powders don’t hang around very long. I really do recommend the BT. Once you get the caterpillars under control, you can scale back. Right now, things are doing well.

[@jeffreybailey2442]

@@TheMillennialGardener I will try that. I live in Fort Bragg housing so I have been trying to maximize space without overcrowding varieties of plants. So, far I have success this year with cantelope, watermelon, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, spices, ginger, and much more. A lot are in air pruning bags, pots, hydroponics, raised beds, in the air, and some just in the ground in the woods surrounding the post housing. All that to say, even though I don't have over crowding, a caterpillar invasion could crush my garden in no time. Your garden looks great. Any help on small gardens would be great. Right now, I am trying to move things around with the sun (as the angle moves south), so my broccoli, beets, cabbage, and collards get at least some sun. My sweet pears are in hydroponics. Thanks again.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@jeffreybailey2442 they allow you to garden on an army base? If that's the case, that's pretty awesome. That is a huge variety of things. BT concentrate will be excellent for your crops since spraying over a small area is much easier and less tiring.

[@nunyabitnezz2802]

I grow hot peppers in my Southwestern desert area. Tomato worms will destroy pepper plants (except for the peppers themselves) completely in a couple of hours. When you see the first one you must take one of these actions in the video, or you’ll have no plants.

[@specialized29er86]

Caterpillars and grasshoppers in Australia and I'm trying to get away from using the shop bought chemicals.

[@carolparrish194]

Did you say that BT is effective on squash vine borers? I never thought of using it on squash before.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, BT will kill them. A way of killing them is to inject it directly into the hollow vines with a syringe. I have killed them soaking where I’ve found the bore holes with BT or pyrethrin. With BT, you want to get them young. homeguides.sfgate.com/inject-squash-plant-vine-borers-56110.html

[@anndebaldo7381]

The only problem with using BT, is that it also kills the caterpillars of beneficials, pollinators, butterflies...but yes, it is certainly very effective in vegetable gardens.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Luckily, I only have the evil caterpillars. Well, maybe I'm not so lucky :) I haven't seen any butterflies where I live, unfortunately. Moths on the other hand...oh the moths, the moths...

[@brandied.7706]

​@TheMillennialGardener You did say in this video that BT doesn't harm pollinators, beneficial, etc... was that correct?

[@Turox4]

Will it kill ur plant if u put more caterpillar killer than wat it says 2 put

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It depends how much more. Usually, if you increase the concentration of sprays too much, it can burn your plant. You want to make sure you follow the instructions exactly, and make sure you spray around sunset so the sun does not react with the spray and cause burns.

[@ronnaalthoff9175]

How do you get rid of those tiny caterpillars (they look like teensy maggots) in raspberries organically? They get in the raspberry and when you pull the raspberry off and look inside it there’s a tiny worm. Since they get in the raspberry how would a spray get to them? Nothing worse than picking big beautiful raspberries with worms in them.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Ronna Althoff that sounds like SWD larvae. Where do you live? Does this look like your problem? blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2019/07/17/managing-swd-in-raspberries-blackberries/

[@bhargavichinnapati6316]

Good evening, I have a question in different area. I am from Virginia, growing an indian yellow cucumber (dosakaya we call). From mid September I see my cucumber flower petals r eaten little by little every day. There is a damage for leafs also but male nd female flower petals r eaten . Some buds r eaten even before they open, nd i see that in female buds. What might be the reason?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It could be many different things. Caterpillars, slugs, or moths, most likely. If you don't find BT to be effective, you may want to try spinosad concentrate. Spinosad is a natural, organic pesticide, but it is more broad spectrum than BT. It will kill bees, so please spray in the evening at sunset because bees are usually not out at that time. If it turns out to be slugs, you can try iron phosphate granules as bait.

[@bhargavichinnapati6316]

@@TheMillennialGardener thank you

[@chefbezos.]

Any suggests for the uk BT is unable to get here

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Spinosad is better than BT, because it kills the adult moths, as well as beetles. If you can find Spinosad, even better. Spinosad will kill pollinators, so only use it at sunset when bees are inactive. That's the downside of Spinosad.

[@chefbezos.]

Thankyou for your knowledge 👍 will be subscribing

[@laninshki]

You don’t add soap?

[@erinvaughn3739]

What about neem oil ?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I do not use neem oil. I've tried it over the course of several summers as well as tested it against other products, and I find it to be not only ineffective but harmful. I have a video on why I discontinued use here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIXTdKuifpyhq5I There are other far better, cheaper products with less downside.

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

Its that mulch under them that thay came from.

[@adewit5366]

Hold on a moth lays worms ? It may just be me but are worms not supposed to be an entirely different class of animal ?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Moths are the adult form of the insect, but the stage before that is a caterpillar. A caterpillar is "similar" to a worm. Just like butterflies come from caterpillars, so do moths.

[@adewit5366]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yeah no. Take a good look again. Worms are worms Caterpillars are moths or butterflies.

[@GenXCorgiMama]

I've been using my basil in my lemon water recently and horrified this morning to find little fat black caterpillars on some of the leaves when I went to treat my plants. I of course wash my basil but I'm terrified I may have inadvertently ingested eggs or larvae as it was fresh and not cooked. Should I be worried? Everything I've found online says I should be fine and they're not poisonous to humans but my anxiety has my brain spinning... lol I've plucked off any I could find and treated with my plants with my dish soap / water sprayer. Any thoughts on what this caterpillar worm might be?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Half the world’s population eats insects. You’ll be fine 😀 They’re probably just cabbage worms. I recommend treating with BT or spinosad concentrate as soon as possible to control the infestation. In the meantime, get a glove on your hand and squish what you can.

[@Buttergirla]

Lol🤣🤣

[@lookingcloud]

Hope it doesn’t happens to peashooters lighting reeds or spring beans or corn😢

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

Never use the type of mulch under them. All your doing is giving them places to lay there eggs. Were they wait tell the right time for their eggs to hatch. In the wood ships. Straw an hay and dead leaf. U used as mulch and bedding and can spread from one bed to another.

[@bobmcwilliams4416]

Surprise! Amazon will not ship this to Texas. I can see it not being shipped to CA. which restricts just about everything but Texas???? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@danlee4706]

This looks like a great Bt product, but be aware that not all Bt brands are organic. Read the warning label before you buy. I didn't when I bought a different brandand noticed while spraying of a paint thinner smell. I checked the warning label and it was very similar to paint thinner, including running cold water over skin for 15-20 minutes. The product's web page says it "is designed for organic gardening and can be used up to the day of harvest." REALLY? Also it says it causes "no harm to birds, earthworms, or beneficial insects." I sprayed some on an earthworm and it wriggled violently until it died. How can the bacteria survive in such a caustic substance? What's actually killing the caterpillars? Buyer beware! Read the label. I will try the product on this review next, but I will read the warning label.

[@riseofthedead8378]

Whats the brand?

[@danlee4706]

@@riseofthedead8378 Actually, I forgot the name of the brand...that was over a year ago. Just be careful and examine the label. I think the regulatory agencies are weak now and unscrupulous companies feel empowered. On the other hand, I decided to just hand pick the bugs because the beneficial butterfly population is WAY down! Bt kills monarchs, viceroys, and swallowtails too

[@JohnSmith-ik8bl]

Worms? I thought moths and butterflies only produce caterpillars.

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

U prun so many leafs off that there eating an cultivate them to convert the unwanted leaf into fertilizer an can use them to maintain the garden. Were other aspects its what it is 🤷🙇and

[@1jnova]

Put some Guinea fowls there..

[@aquaticamigo6439]

Is this organic?????

[@TheMillennialGardener]

BT is generally organic. The product linked in my Amazon Storefront in the video description is.

[@KIP_KnowledgeIsPower]

Is there a way naturally that isn’t cruel? I know it sounds stupid, but I honestly can’t handle imagining rupturing their stomachs or causing some long, painful passing, as much as I hate loosing my plants 😓😓 It’s not their fault what they were born & at the end of the day, they’re just trying to eat & survive like the rest of us 😢😢 Does anyone know of any natural repellent or something like that? Is there a type of smell they can’t stand that’s natural that I can place in dishes around the garden if spraying directly onto plants isn’t good? I don’t have the heart to hurt them or cause pain. Not their fault what they are but it’s definitely dampening things around my place them destroying everything… surely I don’t have to choose? Can I have a pest free Garden without causing them pain? Someone please help!!! 🥺🥺

[@juliebarnett9812]

Stop gardening. You don't have the stomach for it.

[@tutsecret499]

This pest robbed so many of my basils,, always overnight, they don't even give you a chance to eat some. They are such a plague, I can't believe even when you put the basil in the water to get the roots, and I put by my window that has screen, I did not understand how the pest came inside my home and attacked the basil, you see the basil holes or the the leaves missing and the black crap around the container. So I checked beneath the leaves to see if I could see something, and I found one big and fat SOB. I used a stick, and the pest did not want to leave, so I pushed it down the sink and tossed hot water to kill the pest. SOB.

[@tutsecret499]

So I believe the plague pest was already on the basil, when I cut the stem from basil plant outside. Now from now on I will check before bringing inside. It's hard to see them, they are all green, it's confused with the stem of the basil.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Cabbage worms and other little caterpillars are so destructive. They hatch practically overnight, and they're often so small and camouflaged that they're barely even noticeable. They hang out on the underside of leaves, so you don't even see them unless you specifically look. You can go to sleep to a beautiful crop and wake up to swiss cheese. Don't even get me started on if you make the mistake to go away somewhere for a long weekend that's perfectly timed with a hatching cycle. You can come home 2-3 days later to no garden! The most effective way I've found to manage the pest is to spray the entire garden with spinosad on a 7-day rotating cycle. BT is extremely effective at killing worms and caterpillars once they hatch, and it's great because it's harmless to pollinators, dragonflies, ladybugs and other "good bugs," but spinosad will kill the adult moths, too. If you have high pressure from worms, I recommend spraying spinosad every 7 days at sundown when the pollinators leave the area. If you don't have major pest pressure and just need to combat a worm outbreak here and there, BT is great and can be sprayed when pollinators are active.

[@tutsecret499]

@@TheMillennialGardener But this BT doesn't chemical the basil, we will eat this with chemical?

[@tutsecret499]

@@TheMillennialGardener If I leave the basil by the window with screen, doe is protect the basil from this pest?

[@elchakas7053]

It's not allowed in liberal California 😮

[@BoswelliaLuna8]

But is it safe for humans?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes. It is a naturally occurring bacteria. It is similar to spraying your food down with yogurt - kind of, but not exactly. You can harvest the food the next day.

[@geraldlinnearii3357]

I threw them into a bucket of water.

[@lightclawshadowmarsch8167]

Leave the ground under them bear with nothing under it remove that wood chip an straw an hay an it will stop

[@TRUYORK718]

Gasoline

[@tinafaye2985]

and a match..

[@VTBC]

Don't go larger

[@ef2967]

And like most good things, it doesn't ship to Commiefornia.

[@titch_can_i_nail_it3847]

I thought worms where good for your garden??

[@michaelfrancis1715]

I wasted my my money and it doesn’t work