• Do not use any pesticide on the cabbage plants, whether against cabbage worms or any other cabbage insect.
• Feel free to add compost, manure or a start-up fertilizer to the soil prior to planting.
• Irrigate so plants get a minimum of 1 inch of water each week.
• Keep plots free of weeds. You can mulch, hoe or manually pull weeds if needed.
• Continue to record the observations even though you think the experiment may have failed.

Time Line:

Week 1 - Transplant cabbage seedlings.

Week 2 - Record insect counts.

Week 5 - Record insect counts before application of treatment.- Apply lacewing larvae to cabbage. Follow release direction for lacewings.

Week 6 - Apply lacewing larvae to cabbage. Follow release direction for lacewings.

Week 7 - Record insect counts.

Week 9 - Make final insect count.- Record yields.

Planting
Plant two plots of 6 cabbage seedlings each, 2 feet apart (in one or more rows) on or before May 20. Separate plots by at least 15 feet.

Use Golden Acre cabbage that you grow or purchase as seedlings from your local garden center. All plants should be the same variety.

Applying the Lacewing Treatment

• Choose treatment for each plot. Flip a coin to choose which plot receives the lacewings 5 and 6 weeks after planting (should be the same plot).
• Follow either the Honeycomb Unit or Hatched Lacewing Egg Release procedure as assigned.
• We will be contacting you before lacewing delivery.

Information to be Collected:

• Record planting date and cabbage variety.
• Make insect counts 2, 5, and 7 weeks after transplanting.
• Learn to recognize the different caterpillars that attack cabbage on the Alternative Control Guide http://entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/acornsearch.aspx. Caterpillars include diamond back caterpillars, imported cabbageworm, and cabbage loopers.
• Count and record the number of caterpillar greater than 1/2" long (the diameter of a quarter or longer) and the number of caterpillars less than 1/2" long on each plant in both plots.
• Lacewings. Count the number of lacewing larvae you see on each plant.
• Make one final count of insects 9 weeks after transplanting. Record yields for each plot 9 weeks after transplanting. Harvest all plants on the same day (9 weeks after transplanting). Remove the wrapper leaves and wrap a measuring tape around the cabbage head to measure its circumference (in inches) at its widest point. Record circumference of each cabbage. Rate quality.
• If the cabbage heads are not yet ready to be harvested at 9 weeks, you do not need to harvest them. However, you must measure the circumference of each head at its widest point. Record the circumference of each cabbage. Rate quality of each head.

Hint for insect counts There is no need to spend more than 3 minutes counting the insects on each plant.