04/05/2024
Good to know!! 😏
CUTWORMS
One of the reasons I like weeding on my hands and knees is so I can be close enough to the soil to see what’s going on in there. The other day I found three cut worms in the space of about 10 minutes.
Cutworms are a generic name for the the caterpillar stage of a number of species of adult moths. They get their name because they cut down young plants and seedlings.
Eggs will hatch in the fall can but the larvae are capable of surviving in the soil through winter and will do the most damage during the spring when they come out of hibernation. They tend to feed at night and stay hidden beneath the soil surface during the day.
You will know you have them if you find a cut seedling (photo of example in the comments section). If you find a cut seedling, try digging down a couple inches in the soil around where you found the plant and chances are you will find the culprit. Different species will range in colour (can be grey, pink, green, brown or black) and can grow as long as two inches but are usually smaller. They can be solid, spotted or striped. They tend curl up as soon as you touch them or when they are resting. I do that too.
They will attack many vegetable crops including melons, cucumbers, squash, carrots, celery, lettuce, onion, tomato, pepper, eggplant, cole crops, rutabaga, beans, sweet corn and several others. Pretty much everything. They live in the soil so chances are you won't even know they are there until you come out and find your seedling cut right at the soil level or if you are weeding or disturbing the soil.
Cutworms do their damage by chewing through plant stems at the base and can even "cut" off the plant from underneath the soil. The plant dies, you curse and the cutworm laughs and laughs.
They enjoy cloudy days so you can peak for them when it is overcast as well. Once you have discovered one I recommend digging up the surrounding seedlings (gently so as not to disturb the roots too much) so see if there are others below so you can grab them before they have a chance to kill the entire bed. But again, they often feed from beneath the soil level so you may not ever see them - they are ninjas.
I would like to make note that my suggestions are preventative, not destructive.
All insects play purpose in the environment, whether we like them or not. This is why I feed them to the birds (circle of life). Or I relocate them outside of my food garden so they can develop into moths (which we need).
I garden to feed my family. We rely on these plants as a huge percentage of our food source.
Pest management is absolutely required in organic gardening, or they would decimate my entire crop and I would be forced to buy from the grocery store where environmental practises are practically nonexistent.
So what can you do?
1. Toads, moles, shrews, blackbirds, meadowlarks, and firefly larvae are all natural predators. So maybe get a mole? Haven't you always wanted one anyway?
2. Protect your plant's roots and stem by building a barrier. Empty toilet paper rolls, paper cups or milk containers with the bottom cut out work really well! Place the roll around each plant stem and roots to help stop cutworms from reaching the seedling at soil level. It is time-consuming task but it works well.
3. Hand pick. Go out at night with a flashlight and gloves like a crazy person and catch them in the act. Smile and wave at your neighbours when they look at you like you're insane. Then relocate or feed them to the birds. Circle of life!
4. Sprinkle the area around your seedlings with food grade diatomaceous earth.
5. Before planting remove weeds and plant debris that might feed and shelter developing larvae and you may discover them hiding. Then relocate or feed them to the birds.
6. Plant sunflowers along the edge of your garden. Sunflowers are a favourite snack for cutworms. The plants will attract the larvae and you can either use them as a sacrificial plant or collect the caterpillars and relocate them or feed them to the birds (circle of life)
7. Cutworms come out of hibernation in early spring and start searching for food. By delaying your transplanting until late spring you will cut off their food supply (one of the many reasons not to plant out too early!).
8. Beneficial nematodes! Nematodes will attack and destroy cutworms living underground. They’re especially beneficial to apply the season after cutworms have been a problem.
9. The easiest method of all? Push a small twig, nail, or toothpick into the earth right next to a seedling. The cutworm can't wrap around the stem and kill the plant with a toothpick in the way!
You can't stop nature. This is one of the many reasons I also over-plant. I know I may lose a few seedlings to creatures, critters and insects so if I do I know I have 30 more waiting to take that one's place.
