What pests affect kale and how do I control them?

Kale gets the usual cole-crop pests: diamondback moth and cabbage butterfly caterpillars chewing the leaves, plus aphids that hide in the crinkles, and leaf-eating beetles. Since the leaves are eaten fresh, often raw, control timing and pre harvest interval are important, so lean on hand picking, neem-based and recommended biopesticides, sticky traps and only labelled chemicals with safe intervals. The cut-and-come-again habit means you are harvesting often, which further argues for soft, low-residue control. Confirm the specific products and intervals with your KVK for your district.