Cutworms
Fat gray or brown caterpillars that hide in the soil by day and cut seedlings off at ground level at night.
What you'll see
- Seedlings and transplants cut off at or just below the soil line, often overnight.
- Dull gray, brown or greenish caterpillars, 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long, that curl into a C when disturbed.
- Holes chewed in low leaves, young fruit or lettuce heads; some kinds climb to eat buds.
Why it happens
Cutworms are the larvae of night-flying moths. The larger larvae hide in the soil or under debris by day and feed at night, mainly in spring.
How to fix it
- Search around cut plants at night with a flashlight, or dig gently around the stem by day, and remove the caterpillars.
- Protect each transplant with a collar of cardboard or a cut plastic cup pushed into the soil around the stem.
- Sow or plant a few extra to make up for losses.
Keep it from coming back
- Clear weeds and crop debris a few weeks before planting.
- Set out sturdy transplants rather than tiny seedlings.
- Check new plantings at dusk for the first couple of weeks.
Sources
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.