Your Questions Answered, Intrepid Web Searchers

A few of the notable searches, that have lead folks to my blog, are questions that are relatively easy to answer. So, here it goes.

Q: Can flea beetles come from dogs?
A: No. Flea beetles are herbivores, that have to feed on plants to grow and reproduce. Fleas are parasites, that need a blood meal in order to grow and reproduce.

Q: How do you kill cabbage worm eggs?
A: The best thing to do is to first make sure you know what cabbage worm eggs look like. Next, use your fingernail to 'pop' them or squeeze them. If you don't want to pop them, you can simply knock them off the plant. Once the egg hatches, the caterpillar won't have anything to eat. Since it will be too small to burn all the energy needed to find a cabbage or kale plant on which to feed, it will likely die before it reaches a meal. For a least toxic pesticide, you can use horticultural oils to smother the eggs.


Cabbage worm eggs (two of them) on kale.

Q:  Can you grow potatoes without soil?
A:  Yes, you can grow potatoes hydroponically, or without soil.  The University of Florida has a nice set of instructions on the topic.