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Pests
Cutworms on Broccoli Seedlings
Commonly affects: Brassica oleracea var. italica (Broccoli)
Young seedlings are severed at or just below the soil line overnight, often with the top of the plant left lying nearby, fully or partially eaten.
Potential Causes
- 1Cutworm larvae hiding in soil during the day and feeding at night
- 2Recently tilled or weedy soil harbouring cutworm populations
- 3Young, tender transplants being most vulnerable
Solution Steps
- 1Place a physical collar (cardboard tube or similar) around the base of each transplant, pushed slightly into the soil
- 2Hand-search the soil around a cut seedling in the evening to find and remove the culprit
- 3Till soil a few weeks before planting to expose and disrupt overwintering larvae
- 4Keep the planting area free of weeds that harbour cutworms
Prevention Tip
A simple cardboard collar pushed into the soil around each transplant is remarkably effective and low-cost protection against cutworms.
