

Clean UpĪ good clean-up of the garden at the end of the summer should clear away a lot of debris where cutworm moths have laid eggs. It will prevent the plant worms from curling around the stems, chewing them, and ruining them.įorm the skewers in a circle around the plants in a sort of stockade against pest attacks. Poke these directly into the ground around plants to keep cutworms off your plants. Collect and dispose of them.Īnother good idea is to leave the area for a while and let the birds do the work for you. This is a simple method to control cutworms organically.īreaking up the soil and digging deep before spring planting will expose and/or destroy overwintering larvae or pupae.Īlso, digging around existing plants will evict some pests from their hiding places. Moreover, borage keeps away tomato worms. Plants that repel cutworms include tansy, sage, and thyme. These critters feed on roots, stems, leaves, buds, and even fruits however, there are some plants and scents that they do not like. You can also use toilet paper roll insets to make the collars.

However, be sure to push the collars down well into the soil to form a secure barrier. Now place the collars around the base of each plant to prevent cutworms from attacking the plants. You can purchase these from online suppliers or local garden centers and reintroduce them into garden soil to keep cutworms away.Ĭut pieces of cardboard and shape them to form collars. These microscopic organisms live in the soil and act as parasites on harmful insects, helping to control the pests.

Beneficial NematodesĪnother cutworm management tip is to utilize beneficial nematodes. Coffee GroundsĪn inexpensive home remedy to repel cutter worms is to use leftover coffee grounds to sprinkle around your plants.Ĭoffee grounds will not kill cutworms however, the critters don’t like the stuff. Alternatively, drop the cutworms in a bucket of soapy water to suffocate and kill them. Pick them off and squish them, or feed them to the birds. However, most usually appear as small brown, gray, or even black stout caterpillars. They come in many colors and patterns, so they may also be difficult to identify. Manual RemovalĬutworms are nocturnal feeders, so a flashlight is needed to find them on the roots and foliage of plants. Here’s how to get rid of cutworms naturally: 1. As a result, you need to eliminate them before any further damage is done and new plants are put in. This is the night-time damage caused by cutworm larvae (caterpillars) of dark-winged moths feeding on your plants. Plants may also appear to have been chopped off at the base and ruined. If you notice fat, grayish-brown, greasy-looking worms on your tomatoes or other plants, those might be cutworms.
