Sasha CampbellIf you notice fat, grayish-brown, greasy-looking worm-like pests at the base of your tomatoes or other plants, those might be cutworms. Plants may also appear to have been chopped off at the base.
This type of damage is often caused by cutworms feeding at night. As a result, you need to get rid of them before they do any further damage.
What Are Cutworms?
Cutworms are the caterpillar stage of several species of night-flying moths [1]. Common species include black cutworms, variegated cutworms, bronzed cutworms, and dingy cutworms.
They hide in soil or plant debris during the day. At night, they feed on plants, often cutting off seedlings right at the soil line.
Cutworms cause serious damage to newly transplanted seedlings and young garden plants [2].
How to Get Rid of Cutworms Naturally
Below are some home remedies and natural methods that you can try.
1. Manual Removal
Most cutworms feed at night and hide in the soil during the day, so a flashlight is needed to find them on plant roots and foliage.
They vary in colors and patterns, making them difficult to identify. However, they usually appear as small, brown, gray, green, or black stout caterpillars.
Pick them off and squish them, or feed them to the birds. Alternatively, drop the cutworms into a bucket of soapy water to kill them.
2. Coffee Grounds
Some gardeners report that coffee grounds help discourage cutworms. However, scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited.
To give it a try, sprinkle leftover coffee grounds around your plants. It may help repel cutworms.
3. Beneficial Nematodes
Another cutworm management tip is to utilize beneficial nematodes. These microscopic organisms live in the soil and act as parasites of certain harmful insects, helping to control pests.
You can purchase these from online suppliers or local garden centers and apply them to garden soil to help control cutworm larvae.
4. Cutworm Collars
Cut the cardboard into pieces and shape them into collars. Now, place these collars around the base of each plant to prevent cutworms from attacking it.
However, push the collars down well into the soil to form a secure barrier. You can also use toilet paper roll inserts to make the collars.
5. Eggshells
Crushed eggshells are helpful in the garden in several ways.
They can deter some crawling pests. Still, they are usually less reliable than cutworm collars at protecting young plants.
6. Pest-Repelling Plants
Some gardeners plant aromatic herbs, such as sage and thyme, near their vegetables.
They believe this helps discourage cutworms. However, the evidence supporting this idea is mostly anecdotal.
7. Till the Soil
Tilling is a simple method to control cutworms organically.
Breaking up the soil and digging deep before spring planting will expose overwintering larvae.
Digging around existing plants may also drive other pests out of their hiding places. Collect and dispose of the pests.
Another good idea is to leave the area and let the birds do the work for you.
8. Bamboo Skewers
Poke these skewers into the ground around plants to prevent cutworms from damaging them. This home remedy will prevent cutworms from curling around stems, chewing them, and damaging plants.
Form the skewers into a circle around the plants in a stockade to protect against pest attacks.
9. Clean Up
A thorough cleanup of the garden at the end of summer should remove a significant amount of debris where cutworm moths have laid their eggs.
Dispose of the debris from the planting area to avoid a new infestation.
10. Toothpicks
Another easy DIY remedy to get rid of cutworms in the vegetable garden is to use toothpicks.
You can use these, like bamboo skewers, around plants to corral them and keep them away from the larvae chewing the bases and stalks.
11. Cornmeal
Some gardeners apply cornmeal as a natural remedy for plant-eating worms and pests. Still, its effectiveness largely rests on anecdotal evidence.
To give it a try, sprinkle a little of this product near plants and see if it treats the problem.
12. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
DE can help control black cutworms, army cutworms, and other crawling pests.
The sharp edges of DE are abrasive and will cut into the soft bodies of cutworm caterpillars, causing dehydration and death.
Therefore, sprinkle a thin layer around vulnerable plants and garden beds where cutworms are active. Additionally, food-grade diatomaceous earth is excellent for eliminating household insects.
13. Natural Predators
Nature may bring unwanted insects, but she is always ready to help the gardener eliminate them. Birds are beneficial because they feed on harmful bugs, grubs, and garden worms.
Parasitic wasps are also helpful. They parasitize cutworms and lay eggs inside them. After the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the host.
Some beetles, spiders, frogs, and toads also eat cutworms. Additionally, bats help eliminate adult night-flying moths, thereby preventing more eggs from being laid.
14. Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt)
This naturally occurring bacterium found in soil produces toxic, fatal proteins that can kill cutworms and other pests.
Bt is most effective when applied to foliage that cutworms actively feed on. Because some cutworm species feed at the soil line or underground, results may vary.
Bacillus thuringiensis is available online or at garden stores. Use it according to the instructions provided with the package.
15. Essentria IC Pro
Essential oils have long been known as deterrents for insect pest control. Essentria IC Pro, a commercial product, goes further and contains a blend of oils in spray form to target pests directly.
The product can provide a quick knockdown of many insect pests when applied directly according to label directions.
When diluted and sprayed, it can be used indoors and outdoors against various insect pests, including cutworms and adult moths.
This cutworm spray is a unique blend of rosemary, peppermint, and geraniol. When used according to label directions, it can be used around children, pets, and livestock.
16. Floating Row Covers
Floating row covers help prevent adult moths from laying eggs near vulnerable plants. Install them after planting and secure the edges well to keep the moths out.
17. Spinosad
Spinosad, a natural pesticide, is effective against a wide range of harmful garden insects and pests. This treatment is available in ready-to-use spray form.
Spinosad insecticide kills cutworms. It paralyzes the larvae, prevents feeding, and breaks the pests’ life cycle.
However, it has the disadvantage of being toxic to honeybees, one of nature’s essential pollinators. Therefore, spray it in the evening and allow it to dry when the bees are less active.
Frequently Asked Questions
What attracts cutworms to a garden?
Weeds, grass, mulch, and plant debris attract cutworms and provide places for moths to lay their eggs.
Are cutworms harmful to humans?
No. Cutworms do not bite, sting, or spread diseases to people [3].
What plants do cutworms eat?
Cutworms feed on many vegetables and flowers, including tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, lettuce, beans, and corn.
When are cutworms most active?
They are most active at night and usually hide in the soil during the day.
What is the fastest way to stop cutworm damage?
Use cutworm collars around seedlings and remove cutworms by hand at night.
Do cutworms come back every year?
Yes. Adult moths can return each year and lay eggs in gardens.
Can a plant recover after cutworm damage?
Sometimes. Lightly damaged plants may recover, but seedlings cut off at the soil line often die.
Do cutworms live in the soil?
Yes. Cutworms spend much of their time hiding in the soil or under debris during the day and emerge at night to feed.
Will baking soda kill cutworms?
There is little evidence that baking soda kills cutworms. More reliable methods include hand-picking, cutworm collars, and beneficial nematodes.
Will hydrogen peroxide kill cutworms?
Hydrogen peroxide may kill cutworms on direct contact, but it is not a commonly recommended or reliable control method.
Does soapy water kill cutworms?
Yes. Dropping cutworms into a bucket of soapy water will kill them after they have been collected from the plants.
Does Epsom salt kill cutworms?
There is little scientific evidence that Epsom salt kills cutworms. It is more commonly used as a soil amendment than as a pest control treatment.
Can vinegar get rid of cutworms?
Vinegar may kill cutworms on direct contact, but it can also damage plants. For this reason, it is generally not recommended as a cutworm control method in the garden.
Takeaway
It is disheartening for a gardener to find plants ruined, but identifying the cause is the first step in eliminating the problem.
Checking at night for cutworms and applying one or more of the natural methods above should help prevent future attacks on plants.
The toothpick suggestion is a great one. Giving it a try. Thank you!