This year the cutworms are really bad in my garden. Have you sifted through the soil with your hands around the base of the plant to check for cutworms? (darkish with lighter stripes and curl up in a C when disturbed.)

I use collars made of plastic cups for many of my plants, but haven't figured out a strategy for rows of onions and peas. I may try bT since they are caterpillars.

So they are IN the top layer of the soil? From what I read I thought they are on top, and I did inspect every inch on top, but not in the soil. How and when do they get in the soil, do you know? Are they there from last year? Because tulle covers installed in very spring do not work... Will BT work if applied not directly on them? How are you going to spray it - just on the soil? Because plants affected are too small, you can't to spray a base of them.

Try going out at different times at night, I did that and discovered earwigs munching on everything one year. Try covering them with a pot at night and check them in the morning to see if any new damage has been done.

Have you considered the possibility of mice and/or voles? Have you seen any teeth marks on turnip roots? I had a mouse nibbling on turnip roots and I caught him today in a trap baited with PB.

Definitely not mice - I am talking about lettuce with just emerged first true leaves - mice would it it whole, but all the leaves left at place. The thickness of the stem I guess is less then thickness of mouse's tooth - so no marks)

The cutworms spend their day (and perhaps part of their night) in the first inch or two of soil. If I go out at night with a flashlight I see them sometimes at the base of the plant and sometimes farther up a small plant and sometimes they drop to the soil when the beam hits them, but I often find them when I am using a hand cultivator to weed. Right now the majority of mine are about 1/4" long though some have gotten to a good size. The little ones can be difficult to see with just a flashlight.

I don't know how they winter over - they are the caterpillars of moths, and they may winter over as larvae in the soil(?)

I was just planning to dust the stems and leaves with Bt since they must eat it to die. With most caterpillars, Bt works best on smaller ones.

I have occasionally had earwigs with larger plants, but haven't found them a problem in my garden with small plants.

If it's cutworms, a couple toothpicks does the trick. Stick 2-3 toothpicks right up next to the stalk -- the cutworms can then not wrap around the seedling and nip. What I've noticed with cutworms though is they're not interested in eating whole plants though. They'll just nip at soil line and leaves your seedling just lying there.

Could be some other type of caterpillar though. So, BT would be in order. Diatomaceous earth can be used for cutworms but it's ineffective when wet(and is indiscriminate towards beneficials); and the toothpick trick is 100% since I started doing it. And yes, cutworms are from previous seasons.

I agree with above though. Sounds like it might be a critter and some nighttime investigation is on the agenda.

Kevin

Soundslike rabbits, to me.

Kevin, nice trick with tooth picks! I guess it could be even used on a row. Yes, they not interested in whole plant... But because plant is so tiny, eating the base of the stem doesn't cut the plant like a tree, instead the leaves just left laying on the ground, sometimes you don't even know they just laying there until bright sun comes up and they wilt.

I also found this about how to use BT on cutworms:

Spraying seedlings is not a good way to control cutworms since the cutworms can easily kill your plants before they have a chance to eat enough BTK to kill them. However, you can make a bait with BTK by mixing it with bran or rolled oats and molasses. Sprinkle the bait on the planting area several days before planting. Since the area will have no plants yet, the cutworms will feed on the bait and hopefully die before your plants go in.

And no, it is not rabbits) Never met the rabbit that is only interested in stem 1/8 inches long.

I am almost sure that it is cutworms... Just didn't see any yet. It is now 9:15 PM and I just came home with a flash light from the garden. One more reason for my neighbors to discuss the bugs... in my head)

Here is a link that might be useful: cutworms

Never assume it is just one pest either. From your description it could esily be a combo group. But a photo of the damage would be a big help narrowing it down

dave

Never assume it is just one pest either. From your description it could esily be a combo group. But a photo of the damage would be a big help narrowing it down

dave

OK, a beast is found! I can tell you, they are not a lazy creatures! I would expect to find it near the plant that just been eaten this night! But no, it moved to the next one to loose no time next night. I am pretty sure there may be more, but I only found one. And yes, it is cutworm.
Dave, picture in this case will not help much. it is kind of looks same as a normal tiny plant until it wilts... But if you touch it you can see, there are only two penny size(or even less) leaves laying there like a bouquet not attached to the stem. and stem is just gone...