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Vegetable Gardening

Earwigs Eating Potato Plants

12 years ago

I don't usually bother killing earwigs, but this year they seem to be in more than abundant numbers. This is the first year I've ever grown potatoes. They are in a raised bed and were initially hilled twice with soil and thereafter with straw. They grew and flowered beautifully. However, I came out at night to inspect the garden (I strongly recommend occasional dead of night forays--you'll be amazed at what goes on while you're asleep!) and discovered the leaves were covered with chowing earwigs. I suspect they have nested in the mulch. Should I remove the mulch? Kill the buggers? Are the spuds in danger?

Thanks

April

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Comments (2)

denninmi
12 years ago
I've had reasonably good luck fighting earwigs by treating large areas with a granular soil type insecticide. They are kind of hard to control, though. Pulling back mulch helps a little bit in that it gives them fewer places to hide, but the sheer numbers of them makes it hard to control.

And yes, they seem to thrive in hot weather.
bejay9_10
12 years ago
They can be controlled fairly well with rolled up newspaper placed near the greatest infestation. The "wigs" crawl into the paper at night for shelter. Be sure to go out early in the morning to unroll the paper and do a "wig" stomp or water bucket bath on them.

This will catch quite a few, if you don't care to use pesticides near your veggies.

Bejay
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