cutworms

how do i get rid of cutworms without using chemicals

What you can do is use some sort of manual protection to keep the cutworms from being able to wrap around the stems and do their cutting. Methods I have used in the past that have worked include:

* Small twigs or toothpicks - needs to be right against the stem, and I like to use two opposite each other. One can work, but I like to use two.

* Aluminum foil wrapped around the stem - go an inch or so up with it and also push some soil away to wrap foil a little below soil level, then put the soil back after wrapping. Plant will push it off as it grows.

* Sections of plastic drinking straw - cut some sections, then slit them lengthwise and put around stem. Like the foil and the toothpicks, you'd position it at the soil line, with a little above and a little below.

Another option (maybe) is Dipel dust (Bt) - which is organic - if applied around the stems at the soil line it might help (in theory), because it is toxic to cutworms. I say *in theory*, because in order for it to kill them, they are going to have to ingest some first. Since they can quickly cut a seedling in half in just one night, no idea how effective it might be in practice before they start to decline and die from the intestinal paralysis. Haven't tried it myself.

papertowel rolls or t.p. roll also work nicely. I've also used yogurt containers that I've cut the bottoms out of and slit up the side and placed around my peppers and tomatoes.

I always plan on a few 'sacrificial' plants, and have several in reserve to replace those mowed down by cutworms.

Once a plant has been toppled, I dig around to find the culprit, and I do find the culprit. Quite satisfying to squash it underfoot. Plant the replacement... and wait until the next day/victim.

Last year, I only lost 2 tomatoes to cutworms......

I've been reading about beneficial nematodes for killing grubs . . . maybe there are some that target cutworms as well? It works slowly, though, so you'd still have to protect your plants this season.

The best deterrent I've found is Wild Birds and black wasps - the birds eat them, and the wasps feed them to their young. I've also made newspaper collars with success. By the time the little plants are big enough for the cutworms to have lost interest (or been turned into supper) the newspaper has been washed away by the rain. Wish I had frogs/toads 'cause I suspect they would eat them, too.

I like your idea of newspaper collars. I've been saving toilet paper and paper towel cardboards all winter, but newspaper takes up less space.

I use my coffee cans. Cut out the bottom and slide aruond plant. leave 2 inches above the ground level. I also plant peppers out side of my fence and can weed eat around the peppers.