Dear Everyone,
I've been growing thyme form seeds and everything has been going well until lately. Something is eating the leaves off of the seedlings and leaving only the stems. Whatever it is only eats the leaves of the thyme seedlings; it is not eating the leaves off the marjoram seedlings which are located close to the thyme seedlings.
I did some reading online and it seems that I may have something called cutworms. Do you guys think that that is what I have? If so how do I get rid of them? I saw a clip which said that submerging the seedlings in water will cause the cutworm to come out of the potting mix. Is this so?
Help before I have no more seedlings left!
Thanks in advance for your advise.
Roseamore
P.S. It is just after midnight; I'm going to see if the culprit is at work.
Cutworms or slugs will both come out and eat the tender tops of any seedlings.
Slugs can be baited.
Cutworms would be located just under the soil. Moths lay the eggs near the seedlings. If you can cover the seedlings to keep the moths away that might help. I use a grape container from Costco for the mini greenhouse. It has the air holes pre-made.
Slugs can still get in the box though, so you would still need to find out where they are hiding. Usually under the pot or just under the soil in nearby plants.
Slugs can be baited.
Cutworms would be located just under the soil. Moths lay the eggs near the seedlings. If you can cover the seedlings to keep the moths away that might help. I use a grape container from Costco for the mini greenhouse. It has the air holes pre-made.
Slugs can still get in the box though, so you would still need to find out where they are hiding. Usually under the pot or just under the soil in nearby plants.
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rainbowgardener
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What does the damage look like?
The cutworms I am familiar with cut the plant stem off, just above the soil level, leaving the toppled seedlings or sometimes dragging them underground, so the plant is just disappeared. But apparently there is also a climbing cutworm that chews large ragged holes in the leaves (pictured here: https://www.crd.bc.ca/gardening/cutworms.htm ) Cutworms generally only bother seedlings and tender new transplants.
Slugs usually leave roundish holes in the middles of the leaves.
Generally thyme is insect repellant and not bothered much by pests, except maybe aphids or spider mites, neither of which would chew the leaves. That's an argument for it being snails/slugs, which are not insects and are not repelled by the things that keep insects away.
Did you notice anything when you were out at midnight? That should have been a good time to spot either slugs or cutworms.
The cutworms I am familiar with cut the plant stem off, just above the soil level, leaving the toppled seedlings or sometimes dragging them underground, so the plant is just disappeared. But apparently there is also a climbing cutworm that chews large ragged holes in the leaves (pictured here: https://www.crd.bc.ca/gardening/cutworms.htm ) Cutworms generally only bother seedlings and tender new transplants.
Slugs usually leave roundish holes in the middles of the leaves.
Generally thyme is insect repellant and not bothered much by pests, except maybe aphids or spider mites, neither of which would chew the leaves. That's an argument for it being snails/slugs, which are not insects and are not repelled by the things that keep insects away.
Did you notice anything when you were out at midnight? That should have been a good time to spot either slugs or cutworms.
Hi Guys,
Thanks for responding.
I noticed nothing when I went out last night. I was really hoping to catch the culprit in the act and to do away with him!
Some of the leaves look like they are being nibbled but most of them are just completely gone leaving only the stem.
I am going to check around the other plants and containers to see if slugs or snails are hiding anywhere. I will also continue to check during the night to see what I can see.
I have seen roundish holes in a few of the Greek Basil leaves but did not worry about it because the Greek basil is very bushy and damage to a few leaves is no problem. I could never figure out what did the damage.... Looks like I have slugs.
Thanks again for the input.
Have a good evening.
Roseamore
Thanks for responding.
I noticed nothing when I went out last night. I was really hoping to catch the culprit in the act and to do away with him!
Some of the leaves look like they are being nibbled but most of them are just completely gone leaving only the stem.
I am going to check around the other plants and containers to see if slugs or snails are hiding anywhere. I will also continue to check during the night to see what I can see.
I have seen roundish holes in a few of the Greek Basil leaves but did not worry about it because the Greek basil is very bushy and damage to a few leaves is no problem. I could never figure out what did the damage.... Looks like I have slugs.
Thanks again for the input.
Have a good evening.
Roseamore