Tip of the Week: Cabbage Aphids

APHIDS. They suck. We all know they exist, but did you know there were so many different types? The one recently being reported on in the latest Utah Pest-Vegetable Advisory is the the CABBAGE APHID.

"Cabbage aphid are easy to identify as they have a white waxy coating. These aphids commonly occur in dense colonies, often covered with waxy droplets.

Aphid feeding causes a localized yellowing of the foliage, leaf cupping and stunting of smaller plants. They generally do not cause reductions in yield, but they tend to move deep into head-forming crucifers, thus making the harvested portion of the crop unmarketable." -Utah Pest Team

To manage the cabbage aphid, keep colonies of less than 100 aphids per plant up to heading. Check the youngest, highest and innermost leaves of young plants and pull back wrapper leaves of cabbage. Once heads begin to form you must control aphids! This can be achieved with an application of insecticidal soap. 

For more information on controlling cabbage aphids click here!