My Cole crops have been decimated. They had been looking SO good, flourishing. Just before I was due to leave town for 4 days I noticed some caterpillars on them. I killed all I could find, then put a row cover on them. Upon returning I discovered all I had done was seal the burgers in, protecting them from predators! Here are the skeletonized plants:
Any ideas about what I can do? I have identified the culprit; it is Cross-striped Cabbage worm larvae. There were a smattering of cabbageloupers too, but hardly any. I am squashing any caterpillars I find, I am watering regularly (drought conditions in the NE). Should I give them a weak dose of liquid fertilizer? Or should I just pull the plants?
