asch:
I don't think you're going to have any problem with cabbage crop pests until next spring.

Are you planning to use row cover or something to frost-protect the plants in the colder weather? The row cover also forms an excellent barrier against cabbage moths, making the use of Bt unnecessary in any season.
-O

Yes, I do guess I'll need to. I a cover I can use but hate to cover up everything :)

I know what you mean, I want to look at my plants all the time. But in this area, I'll never grow a cabbage crop without a row cover - or a layer of mosquito netting again!
-O

I use lots of bags of coffee grounds from local coffee shops, as a good soil amendment/pest control around all my fall/winter vegetables.

The caffiene in strong used coffee grounds is harmful or repulsive to many snails, slugs, and worm pests.

Also mixing in a little canola oil and liquid soap in my diluted compost tea recipes, is also good on most vegetable pests this time of year.

Thanks for all the advice. I am a dedicated coffee drinker, and I believe I can pile up grounds from my own leavings to make do.

I am moving next summer, and this is my last garden in this area; I am happy to move, but dammit the soil I have worked and improved organically over the past 3 yrs is so nice I want to bring it with me. My neighbor wants the bulk of it, so I'm going to give it away, though, and start anew when I move back to Florida and say goodbye to my cool weather veggies.

Hello from zone 5! Please let us know how your winter garden turns out. I was out harvesting broccoli almost 2 weeks ago, and I was shocked to find so many cabbage lopers; but just this week after a nice hard freeze, there are none to be found. (Not much broccoli surviving either!) I do have some spinach, kale and salad greens under row covers that are still surviving. Last year I had turnips in January. I just went out this evening to pull a few Rutabagas, which we had for supper. Nice!

Lisa

I stock BT year round and spray at the first sign of caterpillars....at least that is the goal!!! I need to spray the collards and broccoil as I write.