There’s nothing better than waking up in the morning, grabbing your coffee, and enjoying your garden. But when you wake up to numerous irregular holes in your leaves and chewed leaves and stems, it can be frustrating and defeating. This is probably the work of earwigs. With their pinchers and insatiable appetite, these creepy crawlies cause substantial damage to seedlings and soft fruit plants. Take action now to keep those unwanted intruders out!
What Earwigs Want
Earwigs are active at night, particularly during warm, damp weather. While they prefer to eat dead or decaying plant matter, if overpopulated, they will start in on your plants.
Earwigs will make a snack out of a variety of plants, including flowers, vegetables, fruits, and even trees. Seedlings are especially susceptible to damage. Chewed stems and devoured leaves can stunt their growth or worse.
Pay close attention when scouting for a potential earwig infestation. Look for leaves with discoloration, holes, and chewed edges. Inspect stems and tree bark for signs of their attack. Get ready to fight back and protect your beautiful garden.
Control The Population
Whether you prefer home remedies or reach for pest-control products, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Home Remedy Options Include:
- Sprinkle Scents. Create a mixture of equal parts cinnamon and coffee grounds, and sprinkle in your garden. This will deter earwigs from entering, and as an added bonus, coffee will keep mosquitos at bay as well. Repeat monthly. Other scents earwigs dislike include peppermint, eucalyptus, and basil.
- Spray Your Plants. Mix one part dish soap with four parts water into a spray bottle. Shake until you see suds and spray generously onto your plants. Repeat as needed.
- Create a Trap. Fill an empty can or small dish with equal parts soy sauce and cooking oil. Set it out in your garden near the affected areas. Earwigs will be attracted to the sent and crawl into the can or dish, becoming trapped. Empty and replace regularly.
If home remedies aren’t cutting it, Harvest View Greenhouses has a great selection of products to control earwigs and other garden pests. Our favorite products include:
- Products containing Spinosad. Bonide offers the organic Captain Jack line that contains Spinosad. This product is great to use on flowers and vegetables as it can be applied until the day of harvest. For best results, spray the leaves on top and bottom to ensure all crevices are covered where larvae could be hiding.
Don’t let earwigs ruin another morning coffee. Take action to halt the intrusive pests and protect your garden. Harvest View Greenhouses has everything you need to keep these pesky crawlies away and keep your garden happy and healthy.
Questions? Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is here to help! Whether you have an earwig issue or another concern, stop by Harvest View Greenhouses today, and we will work with you to solve your garden problem.
