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| Kitty Cake |
I've also noticed that on each end of every row there is a bit of space where nothing is planted. It has to do with the irrigation system I suppose. I've been thinking I might have just found some spots to try and start some flowers after all! I'm not sure they'll all get enough water but a girl's gotta try. Especially since my flower beds have been hijacked!!
I have to admit though that the garlic is looking really good and the lettuce is at least a mix of seeds with varying colors and textures. Besides I see some volunteer flowers here and there anyway. And since I'm in charge of weeding at the moment there is no way I'm going to pull them up. lol
Well enough rambling for today. The winds have died down enough that I can get out there in the garden and do some plant dusting. Something is eating my beans. Well they are actually cutting the plant off at the stem. I have no idea what is doing it so I'm going to try a dusting of Eight and see if that helps. I've been reseeding the areas they are messing with. Mostly beans but they have also done the same to a couple of pepper plants.
Any ideas out there as to what just cuts the stem and leaves the leaves of the plants just laying there beside it? And if so, what can I do to treat it?
I hate it when the creepy crawlers do the stem cutting thing! The only thing I ever had that did that were some kind of ant! They only went after certain plants as I remember.
ReplyDeleteHope you can find out what's doing the damage and do away with it!
I can't rule out ants as I've seen them starting to come in the garden. I've pretty much been annihilating them as they show up though.
DeleteThanks Jim!
Cutworms
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutworm
Rut Ro... it sure sounds like that's what is eating my dang plants. Now to find a way to kill the s.o.b.'s
DeleteAre they becoming cut off over night? My bet is rabbits, it's a bit early for most of the bug critters and cutworms yet, although you will get some of those tent caterpillars that leave the fruit trees now. The rabbits are so bad here they come out at night and chew through the line I run as tomato trellis and will attack sunflowers and bean plants until the other vegetation they like gets up higher.
ReplyDeleteI put flowers at the end rows of about everything but I water totally by hand until the plants get larger so don't water the weeds.
He's probably right on it being too early on worms and insects, it's still very cool here at night. Put out a trail cam around the garden and I bet you catch some rabbits or squirrels going at it.
DeletePP I know there are rabbits around but its not like they are grazing. It just happens every few feet. And they leave the top of the plant laying on the ground. Our cur dog pretty much patrols the place all night long and barks and chases every thing that's moving.
DeleteWhy didn't you suggest flowers at the end of the beds sooner??? Huhh??? lol. With the irrigation tape we have laid there is no real need to hand water. Unfortunately we do water the dang weeds too.
Matt, believe it or not I'm already seeing squash bugs on the plants. We've already got up into the 60's at night here. I'm thinking it has to be some sort of bug. Thanks though. I'm already wishing it was a bit cooler around here.
My dog sleeps and when he sleeps the rabbits move in. Trust me if you have more than a couple of plants being murdered at night it is not cutworms unless you got a serious infestation of them. The cutworms I get come a bit later in the year and usually go after my corn first and if it is just one or maybe two seedlings I might look for worms but if it is a bunch of plants it's rabbits trying out everything and not liking it enough to eat.
DeleteThe rabbits will come in at like 2AM and just start cutting stuff off close to the ground. If they like it they eat it all if they don't they leave the part cut off laying there.
I would hunt the rabbits down but shortly when the wild edibles they like best come up high enough they move on.
It might well be rabbits. There are an overabundance of them around here. I really hope it's not. I went out today and dusted every single plant in the garden with D.E. I'm hoping that it will take care of the problem. We'll see I guess.
DeleteMy guess would be rabbits or voles.
ReplyDeleteWe do have both around. I know because the dog brings us rabbits and Miss Kitty (in the picture above) will spend hours waiting on a vole to come out of its hole. She brings them to us as well. I guess they are just trying to earn their keep.
DeleteCutworm
ReplyDeleteThanks Dani, it sure sounds like that's the villain here. Now what can I do to get rid of them?
DeleteI don't have any idea. I know Dani is up on this stuff though, she is probably right.
ReplyDeletecut worms or army worms..My chickens keep the worms and bugs down here!
ReplyDeletezz you're probably right. Our chickens are kept in the coop and chicken pen. I tried free ranging them and they started laying eggs every where but the chicken house. Besides, with the way our barn is set up we don't have a main door on it yet. And you know they'll poop on everything. And poop they did!
Deletewhat about Deer ? Deer got into my field of sunflowers, and did that same thing.
ReplyDeleteJUGM I'll have to rule that one out. The deer don't come on the property without BB (our cur dog) trying to catch them. It's good on one hand but on the other hand... I sure would like to get a deer for the freezer. (in season of course!)
DeleteProbably cutworms. If you dig a little around the bottom of the plant, you may find the critter that is cutting your plants down.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, Would that mean I have to dig around ALL the plants? Cause that might be to big a chore with the garden being the size it is. Any other suggestions to get rid of them though?
DeleteCutworms. If you dig down a bit and find the critter, put a collar of foil around the plant.
ReplyDeleteSo what plants am I supposed to dig around to find them? With a 5000 sq ft garden that's a huge undertaking.
DeleteBefore my parents planted tomato or pepper plants they wrapped the stems with aluminum foil. You want one inch above and below the soil surface. I also have a friend who sticks a small stick beside each stem so that the cutworm can't wrap itself around the tender stems and cut the plants in two.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to some ways to get rid of cutworms: http://www.pestcontrolrx.com/david_somlcom/2008/07/cutworms.html
I like the one with wood ash as you would be fertilizing the garden at the same time. Green Beans love wood ash.
Judy. I may have to try wrapping the transplants next year. Then again the stick thing sounds doable too.
DeleteThanks for the link. It seems I know a whole bunch more about this critter than I did before.
It says D.E. will work on them too and I've got that here already.
Thanks for the help,
Sci
SCI,
ReplyDeleteIt's either cut worms or them darn beetle bugs which look like lady bugs. I've had the beetles attack my beans, and Swiss Chard leaves. I've been using water, alcohol, and dawn dish soap and its stopped. I also went back and planted more seeds, like you've been doing.
They've also targeted my flowers up front of the house.
Sending hugs to you and Mars.
Give the cat and dog a scratch from us too.
Sandy,
DeleteI hate those dang beetles. We have them all over the place. It seems they mostly eat holes in the leaves but may do more than that. I've had all kinds of problems with them eating my chard too. I wonder if D.E. would take care of them. I wouldn't mind killing two bugs with one sort of pesticide. I'll try the D.E. and if that doesn't work on both then I'll have to try something else.
Hugs to you and yours ( even beenie weenie)
Sci
Grandma always planted matchsticks head down around the plants and she swore by it. Don' ask me why it works but she had the best garden in town!. They are pretty cheap - can't hurt to try!
ReplyDeleteKathy, I wonder if it was the combo of the stick and the sulfur from the matchheads? Interesting for sure. If nothing else I sure have learned alot about those dang worms. I wonder if you get rid of them , would they come back?
DeleteAnd you are right, it can't hurt to try.
Sci
You scared me when you said "I might have just found some spots" and I thought "OMG! She's losing her hair over this!" whew.
ReplyDeleteLOL!!! No hair loss yet but if I don't get rid of these stupid bugs I may be pulling it out soon!
DeleteThanks for making me literally laugh out loud! I needed that!
And now I'm off to go powder every freaking plant out there!
I'm so glad to see you "out and about" I hope that means you are feeling a bit better.
I kept having some kind of bug cut down my chard, so I used paper cups around the base. So far so good-
ReplyDeletehttp://littlehomesteadinboise.blogspot.com/2014/05/new-chicks-on-block-gardens-expansion.html
Nancy po,
DeleteI love your idea with the cups. I'll have to try it next year as mines already up and needs to be thined. I kinda over did the seeds when planting. I hate having to thin them (or any other plant for that matter) It always feels like I'm wasting perfectly good plants. I wonder how swiss chard would deal with being transplanted....hmmm
Sci
Cutworms. I put aluminum foil around my tomatoes and peppers but I didn't know they liked beans :/
ReplyDeleteI love planting flowers around my garden. It brings the bee's and I can have pretty flowers in my house all Summer :)
Kelly,
DeleteHeck I didn't even know what they were! i love flowers too. It was a milestone when Mars stopped thinking that if didn't feed you then why grow it. Of course that was just silly. The bees and butterflies are important for the garden.
Take care,
Sci