Ask Mavis: Bake Sales, Mean Girl Chicks, Cabbage Worms and More

It’s that time again. You ask, and I pretend to know things and answer your burning questions. It really is so much fun to open my inbox and see the wide variety of questions you guys have. Reminds me that my readers are so diverse and pretty dang awesome. So keep those questions coming and I’ll keep racking my brain for answers. As always, please pipe up if you have any input or are knowledgeable when it comes to any of the following questions:
Mavis, how do you keep the bugs from eating your cabbage? I grew them from organic seed–my very first time growing them–and the worms and the neighborhood cats got to them. Any tips for growing them next year? Thanks so much for your great posts!

~K

So you’re not gonna like this, but I hand pick those pesky worms off my cabbage. It totally works! But if that’s not going to work for you, try sprinkling a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and flour on cabbages or buying some BT {bacillus thuringiensis} at your garden center. You could also try to protect your cabbage with floating row covers, especially in spring and early summer.

If slugs are an issue {as they sometimes are in my garden} then I suggest sprinkling some Sluggo around the base of your cabbage plants to keep them away. 

Dear Mavis,

You are an inspiration.  I have been trying to start a garden (brown thumb-er).  Everything gets started pretty good via seed but as soon as I plant in ‘garden’ it dies.  Don’t know what I’m doing wrong.  I use organic gardening soil. Can you offer any suggestions?

~ Joanie

Without more information, it could be any number of things. It might have to do with the plants you are planting, how much you are watering, how much sun exposure those plants are getting or more. If all of your plants are dying, you might need to look at your watering schedule or testing the PH level in your soil {it’s super easy}.

It’s possible your soil might need a bit more nutrients, even though you are using organic, or that you might need to research watering in your neck of the woods.  Also, what veggies are you trying to grow? I might want to start with carrots, green beans, zucchini or tomatoes. I think they are the easiest to grow. Hope that helps!

Good Morning! I have brand new baby chicks and I am having a problem. We purchased a mix – barred rock, NH reds, RI reds, Buff Orphingtons, and Delawares. I only have three barred rock (15 chicks total). All are supposed to be hens. One of the black chicks is a meanie. She pecks at the eyes of the other chicks – primarily the light blondes, but sometimes some of the reds too. I’ve had her in and out of chicken jail (I separate the box with hardware cloth). Every time I try to reintroduce her to the others, she immediately starts pecking the other chicks, so back to chick jail she goes. Is this normal?? I’ve placed a mirror in her jail with dots to peck at, I have a pecking block, I keep the box clean, and they have plenty of water and food. When I place them in the coop, do you think she will always be a mean chicken? Do you think I should place the other barred rock chicks with her so that she will not be alone? Sorry for all of the questions. I do not want her to hurt the other chicks. Thanks so much for your help Mavis!

~ Rebekah

I had a problem with my new flock being mean to just one chick, but not the other way around. I have heard that sometimes new chicks will act out because they are stressed.  Fix the stress, fix the mean. They might be nervous about getting enough food as well. Try increasing the protein you are feeding her.

I had a reader suggest that once when she was having some issues with a meanie. She said,  “I had ordered dried mealworms from Audubon and I put those in the box. They break up to a fine powder. This little chick went to town eating those. Even though I had food and water in the tub she must have been very hungry, and needing the extra protein. The mealworms are 49.6% protein.” Oddly, she said that worked for her. I’ve also heard that putting them in time out when they can still see the other chicks might be helpful.
Ahhh. I need some advice. I just signed up to plan the fall bake sale for my son’s school and I know you are the cupcake making expert. Any tips? Thanks Mavis.

~Amanda

You are in luck! I know a thing or two about successful bake sales. So much so that I wrote a whole post about it. Check out my Tips on How to Hold a Successful Bake Sale.

Have a question for me? Submit them HERE and I’ll try to answer them.

~Mavis