Cutworm Invasion

[COgirl]

I have been faithfully covering up my 4 (out of 9) remaining cabbage plants each evening thinking it was a bunny nibbling my leaves, well the more I looked at the leaves I really thought it looked like caterpillar damage but I know the cabbage worms aren't out yet, started digging and found cutworms at the base of the plants. Did some research and found that some will climb and eat leaves . Then while diggging a small flower area 1ftx2ft I picked 9 of them little buggers out of the dirt, we have never had so many, let alone any damage from them. Well the chickens will be happy I keep throwing 'em to them. I guess since we had a fairly mild winter we have more. I'm going to try and cut up some paper towel rolls to use as collars, if that doesn't work then I will try to find some DE. Any other ideas for getting rid of the little buggers?

 

[wifezilla]

ACK!!!

I have heard those can be an issue here, but so far I have been lucky. I only have to worry about SLUGS. Yes...only I could get slugs in an arid region

The DE sounds like a good idea.

Anyway you can cover the cabbage heads and let the chickens snack on only the bugs??

 

[COgirl]

Tried that with my little RI banty but she quickly deceided that trying to dig up moms taters would be more fun than looking for worms DH brought home a huge toad he found in the road tonight so maybe Mr Toadly likes cutworms we'll see.

 

[insiderart]

Farmer's in the olden days (roflmao!) would put a collar of aluminum foil around the stem of the plant about an 1" below soil level and about 3"above soil level. Always seemed to work for us.

 

[warmfuzzies]

That is so strange! I have never had a cutworm on anything in my life! Hmm, I thought we diddnt have them here! Good to know.

 

[COgirl]

Neither had I warmfuzzies, until this year. I spoke to the director of Pikes Peak Urban Gardens yesterday and he told me everyone is having issues with cutworms this year, probably because we had such a mild winter.

 

[patandchickens]

Haven't done it myself but am told you can put a toothpick into the ground a quarter or half of an inch away from the plant stem, and the cutworm will not be able to wrap all the way around the plant to eat it and will leave the plant alone. Worth a try, as toothpicks are easier to put on already-planted seedlings than collars are.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[COgirl]

I'm about ready to give up on all my gardens and the greenhouse the cut worms are everywhere I had potted up some of my maters and one was completly eaten this morning dug around in the pot and sure enough cutworm, I am starting to get a real pleasure in squashing them, my poor chickens (all 50) are sick of them too, they just walk away when I throw them some . I am dreading anything new coming up, collars haven't worked, the toothpicks didn't work, wood ash didn't work. They are even eating my onion and garlic. I want to try the DE, haven't found it here yet, hopefully tomorrow I can make some phone calls and locate some. I am just so discouraged and it is so early in the season why can't they all just turn into their little mothy selves and GO AWAY?????

 

[Catalina]

Sorry about your garden!
Don't give up!

I haven't had a lot of luck using DE in my garden. As soon as it gets wet it dissolves into the soil and disappears.

I have had a lot of luck using Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) to control cut worms and cabbage loopers.

Here is a link and an explanation of the method you can use -

http://www.ehow.com/how_9369_control-cutworms.html

Place bran mixed with Bacillus thuringiensis, an organic control for caterpillars, over the surface of new planting beds one week prior to planting. Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is a bacteria and is safe to use around children and pets. Cutworms already present in the soil will eat the Bt-laced bran instead of your new seedlings.

Good luck!

 

[COgirl]

Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou I will go and get some tomorrow I'm sure I can find that locally at the garden shops. There may be hope yet . Between the weather and the worms it has been a rough start to the season here. Thankyou again