((Serious Gardening))

[Kassaundra]

Anyone know of a good use for runner grass, I grow it so well I was thinking of turning it into a cash crop!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Anyone know what would cut the tops of onions off?
It is cut clean off and a was left laying next to the plant. All 6 onions are snipped off, I only had 6 sets actually grow.
The poor things were only about 3" tall.

The garden is pretty secure from gophers and such. I have a 3.5 x 7 foot raised bed garden, with a "grow house" my husband built over it. It is covered with greenhouse plastic and has one side open with 1/2" machine fabric. The bottom is chicken wire to keep out tunnelers.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
My first guess w/ a plant cut off cleanly at the ground level is always a cut worm. Second guess would be a bird, but my money is on cutworm.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Would a cut worm hide in the soil?
What can I do to get rid of cut worms?

They would probably cause problems with tomatoes also, wouldn't they?

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
There are tons of diff kinds of cutworms, but they are all the larval form of moths. They (diff kinds) can attack a plant at diff places on the plant, some cut it off at the ground level, others climb and cut off leaves or buds, and others live under ground and cut the roots.

They will attack almost any plant in my experience. I never use icides of any kind the most I use is dish soap water or tobacco tea. They are hard to find being mostly the color of dirt and they seem to attack overnight so not sure how you can chemically fight them, but the ones that are at ground level can't climb so if you put a rigid barrier around you young plant when it is the most vulnerable they can't get to it.

 

[NanaKat]

You can scratch around the soil at the base of the plant...if the cut worm (catapiller) is there you will unearth it. Most are grey and will curl up in a circle when exposed...most are about an inch long. They like to hide under the mulch too.
BT is an organic spray for any catapiller/critter that chews on plants....great against the tomato horn worm.

 

[NanaKat]

I'm finding tomato horn worms on the tomatoes, a small version of the potatoe bug on my sweet potatoes, a few squash bugs on the cucumbers, snake after my garden toads, baby rabbits in the carrots, and the heat is killing the late baby martin fledglings (5 so far). ..Summer is in full swing.

Thunder in the distance and can see showers all around us, but no rain here so far.

 

[Kassaundra]

I keep hearing others brag about rain today too, but none here so far either.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Anyone having trouble with Japanese Beetles? I hand pick them and toss like pebbles into the river but am considering a Neem based product. Any experience with the beetles or Neem products? They are easy to catch, a quick walk through and you'll easily have 5 from the tops of plants, it's a problem that's just started and getting bigger. Skelatal leaves showing up.

Just found another product for long lasting prevention, Milky Spores (mold that kills grubs). Any comments on/with that? If it gets bad I'll apply to soil this fall or next spring.

 

[Smittenroade]

Quote:
I'm sitting here learning alot...don't mind me.
Can anyone answer this question?
I don't have a clue about pests...