Welcome to the AgriLife Vegetable-Rose Garden!
A weekly peek behind the garden gate
Our Comal Master Gardeners (CMG) are back in the garden for another season of growing, learning, experimenting and occasionally battling pests & the elements.
Each week we will share what’s happening in the AgriLife Vegetable-Rose Garden (VRG), including:
- What we accomplished
- What’s coming up
- Gardening tips, lessons & observations
- Harvest highlights
- The occasional garden surprise
Whether you’re new to vegetable gardening, new to Comal County, or simply looking for ideas for your own garden, follow along and grow with us!
Explore the Garden
- Garden Layout – See how the garden is organized
- Fall 2026 Planting Schedule – See what we’re growing
- Current Garden Weather – See what Mother Nature has in store (courtesy of the CMG Class of 2022)
Note: Harvested produce is donated to local Comal County food banks.
This Week in the Garden
Week of Oct 18, 2026
Weather
Rain: 0”
YTD Rain: 21.83”
Avg Temperatures (taken at 7:30 a.m.)
Air: 54° F
Soil: 65.6° F
Harvest Summary
Week Total: 37.3 lbs – Mixed peppers (24.4), okra (3.5), kohlrabi (3.6), basil (1.8), Eggplant (4.0)
YTD Total: 2989.1 lbs
At a Glance: This week, the team kept LB0 watered to encourage three cover crops to sprout, with radish seedlings beginning to emerge. Tomato cages that had tipped over were set upright and staked, green bunching onions were planted, and cole crops received a Bt treatment to help manage cabbage loopers. Meanwhile, the garden continued producing a colorful mix of vegetables for our community.
Garden Watch: Cabbage Loopers on the Loose
Fall cole crops are a favorite target of cabbage loopers, green caterpillars that chew holes in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and other brassicas. This week, the team applied Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a biological insecticide that targets susceptible caterpillars when they ingest treated foliage.
Cabbage loopers earned their name from the way they move. With fewer prolegs along the middle of their bodies than many other caterpillars, they arch their backs into a distinctive looping motion as they crawl. A little detective work—and early intervention—can help keep these hungry visitors from turning fall crops into Swiss cheese!
Resources:
Insect Control Guide For Organic Gardeners: https://galveston.agrilife.org/files/2012/03/Insect-Control-Guide-for-Organic-Gardeners-Publ.-B-1252.pdf
University of Georgia, Integrated Pest Management – Cabbage Loopers: https://ipm.uga.edu/2025/09/19/cabbagelooper/
Clemson Extension, Cabbage Looper Insect Pests of Vegetable Crops Quick Guide:
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/integrated-pest-management-i-p-m-for-cabbage-looper/