The weather has cooperated for the most part this April. Nice temperatures, good rain and no freezes as of this writing. I have been a little late getting my garden planted but it’s all in. Thank you Mother Nature. Now the fun starts with the daily scouting, inspecting, watering, and weeding. Did I say daily?
Questions about cutworms have been above average this year. This isn’t a very good sign. Cutworms come in four varieties and each presents a different challenge. They are destructive because the damage is done at night and is usually fatal for the plant. A good night time scouting plan is the best way to identify a problem before it gets out of hand. During daylight hours check just below the surface of the soil or mulch within a foot of the plant to find them. Destroy them as you find them.
Physical barriers are an easy way to control cutworms. Sleeve crops with a steel or aluminum can around the stem works very well; as long as you do it at the time of planting. Non barrier controls include Carbaryl (Sevin), BT (bacillus thuringiensis) and Sluggo Plus.