Landscaping and Gardening.info

Insects pose the number one threat to your corn. After you have done all that work to plant your corn, once it starts growing, it will attract insects who will eat it and lay eggs inside it. This will ruin your crop. You want to make sure you follow these tips so that you safeguard your corn against insects and don’t lose one husk to these predators.

There are many threats to your corn and none is greater than earworms. These worms eat the top of your corn and once they have infested the husk, there is no way to stop them. You need to be vigilant because these will ruin your crop more than any other insect. Whereas you can save a crop from other insects even if they are already there, earworms can not be taken care of and your corn saved after. Here are some ways to help protect against earworms and other insects.

First, to keep the earworms from entering the tip of the husk, you can wrap a rubber band around the tip of the ear or attach a clothespin after the corn silk appears. This method will go a long way in minimizing the damage. This will prevent them from coming in and ruining your crop.

Another way to protect your corn crop is to use a pesticide spray such as BT that will kill the larvae of the insects before they mature and ruin your crop. Like any chemical though, it is important that you spray exactly as the directions say. Using BT will require you to get a license. Make sure you consult the store you buy it from so that you use the right amount of BT and don’t poison your plant and keep it safe for people.

Other insect pests such as cutworms, stalk borers and stink bugs can reduce the corn stands as well even if a soil insecticide is used while planting, these insects can kill the seedling corn plants through the 4-6 leaf stage. Special scouting procedures are undertaken to determine when these insects might appear. The seed corn maggot can also destroy the corn plant and in order to protect the germinating seeds and seedlings from this pest, a seed treatment must be applied. Sampling of the soil for wire worms and white grubs must be administered supplemented with random digging of the soil with a shovel.

There are many ways to protect your corn against insects. Careful use of natural and chemical deterrents will keep your crop safe from insects and pest so that it grows to maturity and harvested in its entirety. Be vigilant and watch your crop carefully so you can get pest before they spread to any corn. Careful watching will ensure your crop stays safe.

Tags: gardening, garden