How to keep cutworms or whatever the caterpillar is off my geraniums?

Lindy
by Lindy

Every year I change the soil in my window boxes thinking this will give me a fresh start and (just in case) get rid of the budworm caterpillars from last year that may have laid eggs or whatever they do to propegate. My Geraniums thrive, they are gorgeous. THEN THE CRITTERS COME! They eat the flowers, buds, every beautiful piece of my gorgeous plants. All three large window boxes are a mess. I stopped the aphids when I stopped planting petunias, but I can't stop the green, hard to find caterpillars unless I stop planting my Geraniums. HELP! I've used BT and still they ate away. This has been going on for about 5 years now.

  3 answers
  • Kitty Kitty on May 01, 2019

    I promise nothing,but I use this for everything, as my first line of defense, then go bigger. A teaspoon of dawn dish soap in a spray bottle of water. Spray tops and under leaves, really well. Do it about every 3 days. You should notice the difference within 7-10 days. You might want to continue once a week if you think they are hatching in your planter.

  • Oliva Oliva on May 01, 2019

    Kitty's advice is very helpful. I'd only further suggest adding agricultural grade Diatomaceous Earth on the top layer of dirt in your planters. As caterpillers and cutworms crawl over it, they slice themselves open and die.

    Tomato growers sometimes wrap the base of the stems with newspaper strips to a height of 3-4" to deter tomato hornworms.

    Lightly crumpled amuminum foil pinned into the dirt around plants helps deter aphids.

    • See 1 previous
    • Oliva Oliva on May 02, 2019

      Hi, Lindy,

      Yes, the Diatomaceous earth would most likely wash through the soil with repeated waterings, so how about crushing (but not finely) very clean egg shells and placing them atop the soil. The jagged edges would have the same affect on crawling bugs.

      You don't have a deer problem, do you? My geraniums were decimated by deer, and it became too much effort to spray Liquid Fence, every few days to protect the newer growths.

      You could also place an old sheer curtain over the geraniums, to protect them, but you'll probably have more luck with the egg shells and Dawn soap.

      Note that adding cheap whiskey and some "chewing tobacco tea" to your watering will most likely deter any future bugs, as well.

  • Susan Ellis Yamakawa Susan Ellis Yamakawa on May 01, 2019

    I put coffee grounds on mine all winter but the Dawn sounds great