How to Identify and Manage Common Cauliflower Pests

Like its brassica relatives, cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, is prone to pests that pose a threat to successful cultivation.

And in addition to the damage pests can do to developing heads, foliage, and roots, they may also be vectors, or carriers, of plant diseases that may be detrimental to an even greater degree.

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In our cauliflower growing guide, we discuss all you need to know to grow and care for your own plants.

In this article, we introduce nine common cauliflower pests that you will learn to recognize and manage.

Here’s the lineup:

Let’s jump right in!

The cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae, is a tiny sap-sucking insect that eats through leaves and heads.

It can spread several types of diseases, including cauliflower mosaic virus, and leaves a trail of honeydew that promotes the growth of a fungus that causes sooty mold.

Eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves, and are so tiny you may never see them. Telltale clumps of stacked up aphids, however, are visible as a yellowish patch.

Start by trying to rinse them off with a steady and firm stream of water from the hose.

If this proves ineffective, use a product such as neem oil, a natural insecticide and fungicide. It’s available from Arbico Organics in a variety of sizes.

Bonide Neem Oil

Neem oil is organic, and derived from the neem seed. In addition to being a go-to insecticide for many pests, it is an effective fungicide that is chemical-free and nontoxic to people and pets.

Read more about managing aphids here.

Trichoplusia ni is a leaf eater that can chew a crop