Earwigs

This is my second year doing SFG (or any type of gardening, for that matter). I didn't get much harvest last year, other than learning a ton. This year is going better, but I've hit earwig season, which is one of the things that took me down last year. We have a TON of earwigs. I set out some traps (rolled newspaper...total fail. little cans of vegetable oil...worked great) but when I go out at night to check things, my plants are still covered with the little buggers. My traps are quite full in the morning, but I fear that the earwigs are only going for a swim after they've had their fill of my plants. Any suggestions for what to try next? All of my boxes are raised up off the ground, if that makes a difference. We're headed out of town next week and I fear that my garden will be devastated after several days of me not being there to tend to it unless I can get this under control in the next few days.

UGH. I hate earwigs... and I have them too. I will try the little cans of oil. (I seem to have lots of little dishes... borax sugar water, beer... now oil!)

It seems a bumper year for the earwigs as well as a lot of other pests. I suspect them in the chomping of the previously remarkable basil.

It's been a HARDcore bug season. There was a HUGE earwig that crawled out of my daughter's left over birthday cake. EWWWW. Needless to say, I dumped it in the trash along with mr. mack daddy earwig. My garden...it's being devoured. I can't get too upset because I have not done any real pest control. I feel like the broccoli is a loss, regardless at this point, and it seems like they've sort of slowed down enough for me to get on top of it in a couple days. It's depressing me though, like it's a losing battle.

I'm about ready to give up and try the Neem oil. We just found egg casings all over several types of plants.

I tried neem oil and did not have the luck others seem to have had.

I'm going to try to start picking bugs, but I don't know that I can keep up with it. The big vining plants are starting to grow into each other. It's not an impenetrable jungle yet, but it's getting that way....

I've been using a neem oil product for the last 3 weeks to help control aphids and leafhoppers (and it's done a satisfactory job) but it hasn't seemed to have any affect on the earwigs.

I'm not sure how big an earwig problem we have, destruction-wise, but just tonight I found striped cucumber beetles. Agggghhh!!!

I have the dreaded striped cuke beetle too, but oddly enough, he seems to like the eggplant better than the cukes. I have never seen him on the cucumber leaves! Neem oil has NOT worked for me. The pests are out in force!

They are leaving my cukes alone, so far as I can tell, but they are on my Zucchino!

Ug, I had them in my beans. The cans of tuna oil and bacon grease in water are working, much less dammage. Catching lots of ants too. Good hunting to you.

*Envisioning the cat(s) who are raiding her catnip, getting into the tuna oil* Oh, this ought to be interesting!

Megan wrote:*Envisioning the cat(s) who are raiding her catnip, getting into the tuna oil* Oh, this ought to be interesting!

Bacon greese and terriers.... but the boys like that I need some bacon drippings at night.
Deborah.... getting a little sick of tuna salad

Lavender Debs wrote:
Bacon greese and terriers.... but the boys like that I need some bacon drippings at night.
Deborah.... getting a little sick of tuna salad

Ander has a FINE recipe for skillet cornbread which uses bacon drippings. We had some last night (and the rest for breakfast!) Oh, wait... that uses up bacon drippings, doesn't produce them. Nevermind....