It appears that cutworms have just about killed five of my tomato plants. I
noticed two plants wilting today and thought it was because of lack of
water. But closer inspection showed about a 1 inch eaten away of the green
stalk leaving just the brown core.

I thought cutworms only attacked seedlings? These plants have been in the
ground over a month and are 2 feet tall. I have wrapped the base of the
remaining healthy stems with aluminum foil per the recommendation of a
Rodale book.

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

This season stinks.......

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"
wrote in rec.gardens.edible:

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

If it looks as if they are going to die anyway then cut off the upper part of
the plant(s) and put it in a container of water. At least six inches of the
stem, even if you must cut off some leaves. It will start to grow roots in a
few days. Plant this portion when the roots are a few inches long.

Obviously, the plant will not be as big and productive as you had hoped but you
have nothing to lose at that point. All is not lost.
--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"

wrote in rec.gardens.edible:

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

If it looks as if they are going to die anyway then cut off the upper part
of
the plant(s) and put it in a container of water. At least six inches of
the
stem, even if you must cut off some leaves. It will start to grow roots
in a
few days. Plant this portion when the roots are a few inches long.

Obviously, the plant will not be as big and productive as you had hoped
but you
have nothing to lose at that point. All is not lost.

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

FDR wrote:


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"

wrote in rec.gardens.edible:

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

If it looks as if they are going to die anyway then cut off the upper
part
of
the plant(s) and put it in a container of water. At least six inches of
the
stem, even if you must cut off some leaves. It will start to grow roots
in a
few days. Plant this portion when the roots are a few inches long.

Obviously, the plant will not be as big and productive as you had hoped
but you
have nothing to lose at that point. All is not lost.

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

Plant them directly and deeply in the soil. SOAK the soil. Upend a 2 liter
soda bottle full of water to continue weeping water into the soil while you
are gone. (Plug the hole with a piece of rag.) Mulch like crazy and have a
nice vacation. When you get back you will be no worse off than now and you
may be quite a bit ahead of where you are today. Even if the tomatoes do
not ripen, both fried and pickled green tomatoes are what life is all
about.

:-)

Bill
--
I do not post my address to news groups.

"Noydb" wrote in message
...
FDR wrote:


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"

wrote in rec.gardens.edible:

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they
die?

If it looks as if they are going to die anyway then cut off the upper
part
of
the plant(s) and put it in a container of water. At least six inches
of
the
stem, even if you must cut off some leaves. It will start to grow
roots
in a
few days. Plant this portion when the roots are a few inches long.

Obviously, the plant will not be as big and productive as you had hoped
but you
have nothing to lose at that point. All is not lost.

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

Plant them directly and deeply in the soil. SOAK the soil. Upend a 2 liter
soda bottle full of water to continue weeping water into the soil while
you
are gone. (Plug the hole with a piece of rag.) Mulch like crazy and have a
nice vacation. When you get back you will be no worse off than now and you
may be quite a bit ahead of where you are today. Even if the tomatoes do
not ripen, both fried and pickled green tomatoes are what life is all
about.

:-)

Bill
--
I do not post my address to news groups.

Thanks for both posters suggestions. I don't want to feel like I'm whining,
though I am I'll just see what happens and post my results.

"FDR" wrote in message ...

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

Unfortunately you won't see this (vacation and all) but here is my 2
cents.

When planting my seedlings I place them inside 1/2 of the cardboard
centre of a toilette paper roll which is immersed about 1 inch into
the soi;. It creates a barrier. Does this make sense? Got this idea
from Martha Stewart several years ago and think what you will, it
seems to work.

jcm
Toronto, Ontario
Canadian zone 5b, don't know my U.S. zone equivilant.
Thanks to global warming it's bloody hot here!

In article ,
(Joanne) wrote:

"FDR" wrote in message
...

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

Good God -- stop whining! Our *best* growing season is 100 days
total!

Unfortunately you won't see this (vacation and all) but here is my 2
cents.

When planting my seedlings I place them inside 1/2 of the cardboard
centre of a toilette paper roll which is immersed about 1 inch into
the soi;. It creates a barrier. Does this make sense? Got this idea
from Martha Stewart several years ago and think what you will, it
seems to work.

jcm
Toronto, Ontario
Canadian zone 5b, don't know my U.S. zone equivilant.
Thanks to global warming it's bloody hot here!

Another cheap way to make a collar for cutworms is to save the short
sawed-off ends when you're doing plumbing projects. Save the ABS/PVC
or whatever, plastic pipe cutoffs. Or go to the hardware store and buy
10' of 3" or 4" ABS pipe, cut it up and you have collars for the rest of
your life. You can thread them onto a string and hang them up in your
tool shed in the winter.

Man, Martha needs to hire me for a consultant, I swear. I'll even help her
make the curtains for her jail cell. (What's up with that, anyway? Everyone
does insider trading. She just got caught, because she's famous and a girl.)

Jan
Homer, AK
USDA Zone 3

In article , Noydb
wrote:

FDR wrote:


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"

wrote in rec.gardens.edible:
[...]

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

Plant them directly and deeply in the soil. SOAK the soil. Upend a 2 liter
soda bottle full of water to continue weeping water into the soil while you
are gone. (Plug the hole with a piece of rag.) Mulch like crazy and have a
nice vacation. When you get back you will be no worse off than now and you
may be quite a bit ahead of where you are today. Even if the tomatoes do
not ripen, both fried and pickled green tomatoes are what life is all
about.

:-)

Bill

Hmm. I just saved your post to my files -- good idea, pard : )

So what's your recipe for fried green 'maters anyway?

Jan, up yonder in Alaska

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"
wrote:

It appears that cutworms have just about killed five of my tomato plants. I
noticed two plants wilting today and thought it was because of lack of
water. But closer inspection showed about a 1 inch eaten away of the green
stalk leaving just the brown core.

I thought cutworms only attacked seedlings? These plants have been in the
ground over a month and are 2 feet tall. I have wrapped the base of the
remaining healthy stems with aluminum foil per the recommendation of a
Rodale book.

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

This season stinks.......

It sounds to me more as if the plants have rotted, not
cutworms. If you're in the NE USA, that wouldn't be too
surprising, it's rained constantly until last week.

Yes, this season sure does stink. Terrible!

Pat

"Joanne" wrote in message
om...
"FDR" wrote in message
...

Unfortunately, I am leaving on vacation for a week starting tomorrow.

On top of that, i live in zone 5a (Syracuse NY) so the remaining growing
season is 2-3 months at best.

Unfortunately you won't see this (vacation and all) but here is my 2
cents.

When planting my seedlings I place them inside 1/2 of the cardboard
centre of a toilette paper roll which is immersed about 1 inch into
the soi;. It creates a barrier. Does this make sense? Got this idea
from Martha Stewart several years ago and think what you will, it
seems to work.

The stupid part of all this is that I was reading about cutworms and was
going to put collars on and then ditched the idea becasue I didn't expect a
problem since I've never had them before.


jcm
Toronto, Ontario
Canadian zone 5b, don't know my U.S. zone equivilant.
Thanks to global warming it's bloody hot here!

"Pat Meadows" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 23:54:30 GMT, "FDR"
wrote:

It appears that cutworms have just about killed five of my tomato plants.
I
noticed two plants wilting today and thought it was because of lack of
water. But closer inspection showed about a 1 inch eaten away of the
green
stalk leaving just the brown core.

I thought cutworms only attacked seedlings? These plants have been in
the
ground over a month and are 2 feet tall. I have wrapped the base of the
remaining healthy stems with aluminum foil per the recommendation of a
Rodale book.

Even though some of the affected plants still appear ok, will they die?

This season stinks.......

It sounds to me more as if the plants have rotted, not
cutworms. If you're in the NE USA, that wouldn't be too
surprising, it's rained constantly until last week.

hmm, I don't know. I have 8 other tomato plants that aren't exhibiting this
problem.

Oh well, I just hope the rest make it.


Yes, this season sure does stink. Terrible!

Pat

On 28 Jun 2003 01:06:49 -0700, (Joanne) wrote in
rec.gardens.edible:

Canadian zone 5b, don't know my U.S. zone equivilant.

Looks as if it is 4b US.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne1.html
--
Gardening Zones
Canada Zone 5a
United States Zone 3a
Near Ottawa, Ontario

In article ,
says...
When planting my seedlings I place them inside 1/2 of the cardboard
centre of a toilette paper roll which is immersed about 1 inch into
the soi;. It creates a barrier. Does this make sense?

Another cheap way to make a collar for cutworms is to save the short
sawed-off ends when you're doing plumbing projects. Save the ABS/PVC
or whatever, plastic pipe cutoffs. Or go to the hardware store and buy
10' of 3" or 4" ABS pipe, cut it up and you have collars for the rest of
your life.

I use coffee cans. The large ones. Push into the soil about 1/3 of the
way. I've never had a cutworm problem on tomatoes.

--
Where ARE those Iraqi WMDs?

On Sat, 28 Jun 2003 12:16:26 -0400, Jim Carter
wrote:

On 28 Jun 2003 01:06:49 -0700, (Joanne) wrote in
rec.gardens.edible:

Canadian zone 5b, don't know my U.S. zone equivilant.

Looks as if it is 4b US.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-ne1.html

Why aren't you helpful! See new sig. line.


jcm

Toronto, Canada
Canadian zone 5b, U.S. zone is apparently 4b
Thanks to global warming it's bloody hot here!