Cutworm Prevention

Actually, you should rotate where you plant tomatoes in your garden, especially if you have had past issues with mold, mildew or other tomato related diseases.

If you haven't had any in 20 years, you're one lucky gardener if planting in the same bed.

I've never had an issue with cutworms, but have dealt with tomato horn worms several times and they are quick to destroy a plant if not caught early. For them, I just pluck them off the plant and kill them immediately.

Yes I have hornworms almost every year but I deal with them quickly before much damage is done. With cutworms when you find out you have a problem the damage is done. Plant is on the ground and you have to replant.

My biggest, most consistent problem is Squash Vine Borers.

I get them EVERYTIME I plant summer squash and no matter what I do, they will get to the plants eventually. I usually get just a few nice squash off some of the plants before the borers kill them.

I did have better success the one year I used a light cloth row cover so the moths that lay the eggs that become borers couldn't get to them.

However, that had me having to pollinate the plants with Q-Tips to get the squash to produce since bees also couldn't get to the plants. More trouble than it was worth with the price of squash in the summer.

This reminds me of the great army worm outbreak of 2013 that we had. If me and Pops hadn't been out and about that morning the entire garden would have been gone.

We were out working around the garden, but not in it. I forget what we were doing. Anyway, I was walking back toward the shop building when I looked down and noticed the entire ground/grass moving......like a wave. I knelt down and looked. What I saw was what had to be millions of army worms headed toward the garden. I walked to the other side of the garden......more army worms. We were surrounded on all sides and tens of millions of enemy army worms were closing in fast.

I forget what we mixed, but we had it in two different pump sprayers. I had a two gallon and Pops had a small one gallon. A backpack or battery powered would have been better, but we didn't have them in the arsenal. For what seemed like two hours we hosed down the perimeter, wiping out wave after wave of the advancing horde. When the poison would hit the little arseholes would wriggle like frying bacon, but the next wave would continue to advance. After an eternity of battle, the enemy was thinned to but a few stragglers that were sure to be mopped up by the residual spray.

If not for us being in the right place at the right time there's no telling the damage that could have been done.

Tune in next time for my recollection of the story "The Mystery of the Vanishing Seedlings", about the time an entire 40ish foot wide row of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower seedlings vanished overnight, the very night after they were first planted. Every single one gone without even the least sign of any intruder.

Buy a bag of Hi Yield garden,pet and livestock dust. After setting out plants, sprinkle a small amount around the base of each plant.


LINK

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I get them EVERYTIME I plant summer squash and no matter what I do, they will get to the plants eventually. I usually get just a few nice squash off some of the plants before the borers kill them.

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Buy some bifenthrin 7.9%. Put 2 tsp per gallon of water. Spray entire garden once a week. Start spraying early and you wont have borers or other pests in your garden.