The Garden-Destroying Pest You Can Banish With Help From Aluminum Foil

Cutworms are the caterpillar larvae of moths and can be a destructive pest — they can wreak havoc in your garden or on your lawn if you don't keep them in check. You could get up in the morning to find that cutworms have destroyed the stems of your young plants and they have been cut off at the soil. If you want to prevent these headaches, you need to take steps to get rid of cutworms before they destroy your lawn and garden. Although pesticides are an option and can be effective for eliminating cutworms, natural prevention methods are safer and are well worth considering.

One of the simple tricks that can help prevent cutworms from damaging your plants is to create a physical barrier around them using aluminum foil. There are many clever ways to use aluminum foil in the garden and adding it around the base of a plant can help to prevent cutworms from gaining access to new seedlings. Cutworms love plants such as cabbage, lettuce, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, but new plants are particularly vulnerable to these pests, so you'll especially want to be sure to add aluminum foil collars around these. However, keep in mind that this prevention hack only really works if you have a small garden. It will probably be too time-consuming to use in a larger area.

To prevent cutworm damage to your plants, simply create a collar with aluminum foil and place it around each plant that you want to protect. Ensure the aluminum foil goes around the stem of the plant completely and extends at least one to two inches under the soil and two to three inches above the soil. Keep in mind that while aluminum foil works well for this purpose, there are other options as well. You can also use toilet paper rolls, old plastic cups, or similar alternatives to create a physical barrier.

When aiming to deter cutworms, remember that it's a good idea to till your garden before adding new plants. This can help you uncover cutworms and reduce their activity while preventing weeds as well. You should also be careful not to damage a plant when adding aluminum foil. Don't install it in a way that could inhibit plant growth. The aluminum foil should be loose enough to allow the plants to grow but tight enough to prevent entry by cutworms.