Help! Something is cutting into my plants just barely underground!

Owl
Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in Pest & Weed Problems/Solutions

It’s only in one planter (thank God) but it goes around the plant chewing the outer layer and then the plant withers and wilts. It does the damage just below the surface and murdered a beautiful tomato plant overnight. I’m praying that someone knows what it is and how to get rid of it too!

Comments

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    Dig around in the dirt if you haven't already. My guess would be a grub or cutworm. It will be an off-white or maybe even a brown worm that is fairly big around in comparison to it's length. They like to curl up, kind of like the letter C.

  • kbmbillups1
    kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wonder if crushed up egg shells will help? I put them around my plants b/c I know the slugs don't like them.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,576 admin

    Yes...eggshells, and if it is a cutworm, a toothpick or two sruck into the soil right beside the stems can help...and also diatomaceous earth is meant to deal with soft bodied insects in the garden.

    Let us know if you win. We will cheer you on! 👏💪

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    My guess is that it was a cutworm. My uncle taught me to put match book covers just into the soil level, around the stem and then they can’t chew them off at the surface...

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    I lost another pepper plant overnight so I carefully dug it up. I couldn’t see anything that might have done it but I did get a good picture of what is happening. I have used diatomaceous earth but it didn’t seem to make a difference. I also went out with a bright light last night to see it my critter is nocturnal but saw nothing. See how the roots are healthy and the top was too but this thing is cutting off the nutrients to the stem.


  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2020

    @Owl Looks like this may be the fellow to indict?? But just in case, a few more to consider:

    Depending on all your collective evidence, say for example, the plants being attacked/destroyed could help you know which pest it is and then move/rotate all those specific groups of plants..ie tomatoes peppers etc to other areas and keep a good log as recording everything pertinent to maintaining a healthy garden can help you immensely in prevention of more attacks.

    hth

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    It has killed pepper, tomato and cantaloupe plants so far and seems to show no preference.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Owl I forgot to suggest: dissect the entire stem to see if you can find the culprit.

    The 'famed..grrrr' squash marauder, the first stage is a wasp like critter with a red segment first lays its egg near the base and just into the soil a bit, of the squash plant. When it hatches it makes its way to the stalk and bore's it's way into the stem and by the time the death of the plant is obvious and inevitable it is too late as it has sucked the very life out of the plant.

    Alas, the way to stop this pest, the squash vine borer, use something stout enough to keep the critter from being able to make it's way inside or even close to the stalk. The way to do this is dig about a 1 inch trench around the stalk when you plant it and place light weight cardboard or even foil into the trench and replace the soil. Make sure the barrier is burried a little under the soil level. I do mine about an inch or just a little less below soil level.

    I found this info a long time ago on a vid and I have not been able to find it again but they said that was the end of the borer problem.

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    Okay that does not look like cutworm damage I have seen...frankly I'm stumped. Hope someone else recognizes this type of damage!

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I recently lost a Mexican Grass Tree to some unknown underground rodent. The beast ate the core of the plant out, like it was eating a bunch of celery from the bottom up. Your damage looks something like that.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Owl and every one:

    I also posted this as a new discussion so more will see it. I sure hope something here helps

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    Great article! As the title says, companion planting isn’t always effective. I’m trying that this year for the first time with dill, basil, thyme, onions and garlic in that same bed. I ran out of nasturtiums before I got to that bed and no calendula in it either. I did cut strips from plastic soda bottles today and make a collar around the remaining plants, going down about an inch in the dirt.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Owl Awesome on the plastic collars. Let us know if that solves your problem and I think I like your idea better than cardboard since cardboard would soften and flop in rain or watering.. Great idea. Don't forget the beautiful Borage for blossom ice cubes, young leaves for salads minus the hairy things that are a non issue when the leaves are harvested young, and also, their companion to maters for repelling..I forgot lol. But they are beautiful!!!

    Have a great day in your garden. I'm about to head to mine..

  • OhiohillsLouise
    OhiohillsLouise Posts: 120 ✭✭✭

    @silvertipgrizz I haven’t had any experience with the tomato fruitworm (thankfully) but unfortunately I spotted the pupa in my garden beds thanks for posting the picture now I know what I’m dealing with. I do rotate my plants so hopefully they won’t be a big issue.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020

    @shllnzl

    @Owl

    It wouldn't hurt to add voles and moles to your suspect list. ie, underground rodent..

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OhiohillsLouise I think in that link is included the squash vine borer so be sure and check that one out as well.

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    Silvertipgrizz, your link is terrific! Between the plastic collars and some links from the honcho at Clemson U’s bug guru, I’m treating the planter with a fungicide and something is working. I haven’t lost any more plants.

    I read up on the information about tomato worms and was able to catch a brand new hatch, right after they emerged, hiding under the mulch after only one day of feeding. They had attacked a row of calendula that I hadn’t expected to be anything but fodder for bugs anyway and then retreated to the cooler temps in the mulch. I was able to find and kill all of them just by moving the mulch over. They were right underneath and just laid there while I killed them all.

    I’m sorry I haven’t answered anyone in a while, I’m having browser problems and they don’t want me to answer anyone!

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Owl That's awesome. don't forget if you have enough calendula left try putting some in a jar with olive oil or coconut oil and leave to age for awhile for it's awesome skin soothing and healing effects. I used to do that all the time. I would use the petals in the oil to color my soaps, and when I used my coconut oil recipe I would also use it from the calendula infused oil.

    Keep us updated and so glad for your success...so frustrating to work so hard and see things demolished by bugs...

  • Owl
    Owl Posts: 346 ✭✭✭

    Do you use the leaves, flowers or both? I usually tincture in vodka but the oil makes way more sense for my skin!

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Owl I dried the entire petal/flower head. Sometimes I would infuse the entire head, and sometimes just the petals.

    Here are some resources for you:


    When I first started growing and harvesting calendula I didn't know when to dead head for best medicinal so I started by waiting til the flower head was aging. This is NOT correct..The way to get the most medicinal out of the flower is to dead head them just before their prime early in the morning just after the dew has dried. The more you can keep up with this, the more masses of flowers you can get.

    I am always searching for all ways that others do things and usually learn something new every time. Sometimes I agree and use and sometimes not and stay with my tried and true.

    Constant research is the best practice.

    Keep in mind I am not a herbalist. I am always learning, but if any herbalist teaches you different, then pass that along as they are the teacher and I am the student...

    hth

  • solarnoon.aspen
    solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭

    I've been using mason jar rings when I plant to keep the cutters away. Wouldn't work with rodents but seems to with bugs. My biggest problem now is deer and elk waltzing through everything, stomping and chomping.