Cutworm trouble and.....???

[kgall]

So I probably have a cutworm problem. I will have a beautiful potato plant like this...
[img]https://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy191/k_gall/P1040131.jpg[/img]

Then the next one in the row has been cut off cleanly at soil level and is laying there dying next to the stem.

I searched the forum for cutworm and came up with...spreading cornmeal around, making collars(plants are short, hard to do), and putting toothpicks around the stems. Anything else I can do? I have never seen the buggers so I can't feed them to the birds(I don't have feeders anyways...The bear likes them!)!

I have covered the cut ones up in case they miraculously comeback! Yes I know fat chance! But only half of the potatoes I planted came up so I really want the ones that are here!
The ants that are plaguing me have entrances to their tunnels right up against the stalks of my potatoes! Is there anything organic I can do for these &%^*?& ants??

How about whatever might be making some of my leaves look like this?? As if I don't have enough problems with my potatoes!!!
[img]https://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy191/k_gall/P1040132.jpg[/img]

I also have peas, lettuce, radish, some onions are coming up and carrots. These all look fine for now. Ugh! I fear My potatoes will be a total loss! For anyone who made it to the bottom of this message Bravo! Sorry I am more than a bit frustrated!

[Gary350]

One good thing about potatoes you can cut the plant down over and over and it will continue to grow back.

Sprinkle corn meal around the stem of the plants that will stop cut worms. Cut worms will eat the corn meal an not the plant. If it rains and the corn meal becomes hard sprinkle some more corn mill over the top of the old.

If you think you might have a blight problem from all this rain then mix a box of baking soda into the bag of corn meal then sprinkle it around the stem of the plants.

[kgall]

Thank you! I just got home from buying the cornmeal. We haven't had too much rain up here. It rained hard yesterday but that is the worst we have had in a while. I sprinkled baking soda (laced with powdered sugar for the ants so it's already in the garden anyway.
Do you think the ants would eat the cornmeal and meet their demise too> A girl can hope can't she?
Good to know potatoes are so hardy! It is nice to have some hope!

[applestar]

Although it is true that baking soda in weak water solution is a good fungicide (someone posted a recipe recently), I caution you to go easy with the baking soda. My Dad washed a kiddie pool with baking soda, thinking he's being conscientious about his grandkids by not using chemical cleaners. Next day, all the grass around his patio were brown and dead.

Good news, he said, was that the moss and weeds growing in the cracks of the patio had died too, and the patio looked like he scrubbed the mildew off.

He now uses baking soda to clean his patio every year.

[kgall]

Thank you for the caution. I was not liberal with it and placed most of it in front of the ant holes. I don't think they fell for it though!
Why do I have to have the smart ants? If only they could teach the robins that hang out right next to the garden to eat the cutworms!

[farmerlon]

I searched the forum for cutworm and came up with...spreading cornmeal around, making collars(plants are short, hard to do), ...

A friend of mine uses small strips of Aluminum Foil to make cutworm collars for his Tomato plants. That's probably not as easy to work with on Potato plants; but, might be easier than cardboard tubes, etc... .

[rkunsaw]

When I put plants in the garden I put a popsicle stick against the stem.Cut worms can't wrap around the stem so leave it alone.Much easier then a collar.

[kgall]

I am toying with the idea of taking a box of toothpicks out and placing them around the stems. I will be putting my tomatoes in soon so I guess I'll have to protect them too!

[green~acres]

I have a cutworm problem this year. I have never had them before.along with many suggestions on how to take care of the problem was to mix dawn dish soap and water together and spray the dirt around the plant. will the dish soap have any adverse effect on the plants.?

[rainbowgardener]

Re the Dawn, it depends... Dawn makes a variety of different products. If you can find the ones labelled DISH SOAP they are actually SOAP and will be fine for that usage. Mostly what is in the stores is the ones called dishwashing liquid. Those are detergent not soap and can burn your plants pretty badly. Look for real soap - ivory, dawn, Dr. Brunners, Murphy's oil soap, or use shavings of bar soap.

[green~acres]

thank you so much for your reply. that is some good information to know. and what I have on hand is dishwashing liquid. I will look for soap.

[kgall]

What does shaving bar soap do?

[garden5]

If the cutworms eat the cornmeal, won't having it around just attract more? Apple, thanks for the baking soda tips!

[rainbowgardener]

What does shaving bar soap do?

Put the bar soap shavings in water and shake it up and you have soapy water. We were talking about using soapy water solution to kill soft bodied insects (like aphids).

[kgall]

I was a bit confused. I knew we were talking about soapy water then there was the comment about bar soap and I was just like huh? I completely get it now! Duh!

I am happy to report that since I have spread the cornmeal around my plants there have been no more casualties to the blasted cutworms! Yay!

I even found a few dead ants! Of course my ant collection is quite extensive and I fear they are holding strong in about 25 square feet of my garden making that row useless! Oh woe is me!!!

[bcallaha]

Try Diatomaceous Earth
Another approach is to use insecticide in a dust form to prevent the larvae from getting into the stems. Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth around the base of plant to create a barrier for the pest, and dust the whole plant with it. Dusting should progress upward from the ground, covering all stems and leaves, especially on their undersides. Do this in the late evening, and predator insect destruction will be low. Replace after each rain.

I got the above from another website. I thought I'd try it for some gargen pests. It is supposed to work on many types of gargen pests, and for infestations on your pets and chickens!!

Brad