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We have been growing kale... #153254

Asked September 18, 2013, 1:11 PM EDT

We have been growing kale without fail for about four years. We rotate and leave one side for 4-6 months before we replant. Now we have this squishy translucent green egg and the kale is getting rotten ;( Any ideas? Thank you

County Maryland

Expert Response

Can you send us a photo of the 'squishy translucent green egg'? It may help for us to see it. It is probably a caterpillar egg, but could be a larval stage of something else. Overall we tend to think the planting does not look too bad. We wonder if the areas where you think that the kale is rotting could be harlequin bug damage. Here is a page about them: http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit/insects/harlequin-bug
cm

Thanks, I discovered this white butterfly which you can see in the 1st photo. The egg picture is horrible, but maybe the butterfly pic will help, I never noticed them before. They have a black spot on them. Definately no harlequin bugs, they are kinda pretty.
The Question Asker Replied September 20, 2013, 4:49 PM EDT
Thank you for the additional information.  Although the photo of the egg(s) is not clear enough, if the eggs are single and not in clusters, they are most likely the eggs of the Imported Cabbageworm, the adult of which is the white butterfly with black spots on its wings.  If you look closely at the foliage of the kale, you will find numerous, small, green caterpillars feeding on the foliage of the kale.  Since they are caterpillars you can either pick them off by hand daily, or you could sprinkle the kale with Dipel dust.  Dipel is a dry, powder form of Bt "kurstaki".  Bacillus thurengiensis 'kurstaki' is a disease that kills only caterpillars.  It is not harmful to you, to other insects or to other animals.  Simply wash the kale thoroughly before consuming.
LS
Hey! This is such a stumper. The eggs dried up and turned into this! Whatever it is, we do not notice it moving. It looks like it has legs.

There are not any caterpillars. They spots dont look like any egg we can identify.

Thank you so much for your help,
Mattie
The Question Asker Replied September 27, 2013, 7:55 PM EDT
Thank you for the additional photos.  Although the target items are not in really clear focus, there do appear to be some cast aphid skins and other insect droppings on the leaves.  There are numerous pests of kale, as you have observed, so you may want to invest in a floating row cover for future plantings. 
Please refer to the following publications from our website:
http://extension.umd.edu/learn/vegetable-profiles-leafy-greens
The following site lists several of your more likely kale pests in the menu:  flea beetles, harlequin bugs, aphids, etc.
http://extension.umd.edu/growit/insect-pests-vegetable-garden
The following publication explains the floating row cover.
http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/not_updated/GE004Flo...
LS



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