Although kale is very robust, it is unfortunately not completely immune to pests and diseases. In the following you will learn which pests infest kale most frequently, how to prevent an infestation and how to successfully drive away pests.
Kale is not only attacked by caterpillars
prevent pest infestation
It is always easier to prevent pests than to fight them. The following applies here: A strong, healthy kale is less susceptible to pests. Therefore, pay attention to:
- Regular watering (this also helps against flea beetles)
- sufficient nutrient supply (horn shavings)
Furthermore, fertilization with nettle manure strengthens the kale and prevents pests. A vegetable net is also useful if you have heard of fly infestations in the area.
Plant neighbors that keep pests away
It is particularly clever to combine the kale with plants that pests do not like. These include, above all, strongly aromatic plants such as:
- basil
- borage
- dill
- Southernwood
- celery root
- tomatoes
- peppermint
- radish
- marigolds
- rosemary
- sage
- mustard
- tagetes
- thyme
Kale's worst enemies
Kale is most commonly attacked by cabbage white, whitefly (whitefly), cabbage fly and beetroot flea. Caterpillars of all kinds also like to eat the kale.
How to recognize which pest is affecting your kale:
- Cabbage White Butterfly: White moth that lays its eggs on the underside of leaves. The caterpillars eat the leaves
- Whitefly: Eggs on underside of leaf; but sticky substance
- cabbage fly: resembles housefly, the maggots eat the roots; the plant dies
- Beetroot flea: eat holes in the leaves and roots
What to do in case of pest infestation?
As with any pest infestation, you should act as quickly as possible with kale. The sooner you spot the pests and the quicker you act, the more likely you are to get rid of the bugs.
A first step is to remove and dispose of the heavily infested leaves (preferably not on the compost heap next to the bed!). Then spray:
Fight pests naturally
Since you ultimately want to eat your vegetables, chemical pesticides are strongly discouraged. Even if the manufacturers like to tell you otherwise, all chemical sprays are suspected of causing serious diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, allergies and others.
Therefore, use biological means, which are also much cheaper and just as efficient. The following methods are available to combat the above-mentioned pests:
- soft soap solution
- Nicotine (from old cigarettes or tobacco plants), possibly with some alcohol
- water with neem oil
tips
Your kale is infested with whitefly and you want to know if you can still eat it? Find out here.