Cuttin’ It

Another Method

Friday, May 05, 2023

Rain today, more expected tomorrow, and temperatures are reasonable. This weather is perfect for plants. Unfortunately, water and warmth aren’t enough because gardens have enemies.

Mine has cutworms! I never gave my own garden a thought about them before finding my Rhubard plant sawed to its very bottom. While hoping it’ll regrow, I thought about a recent HD customer who was seeking a remedy for cutworms, and I helped her. We both disliked pesticides and critter-killing poisons, and together, read labels, evaluated possibilities, and finally, googled for information. We learned online that homemade dish soap solutions will kill cutworms without harming plants. She left the store without buying, opting for a holistic solution.

Yesterday, remembering that customer, I googled to find an easy formula. I chose one calling for a couple of tablespoons of Dawn, and a couple more with vegetable oil, with all mixed into a gallon of water. Those simple and handy ingredients let me create a solution. I filled a spray bottle and marched to my garden.

I sprayed and sprayed, from the plant tops to their bottoms and underneath their leaves. I felt resolute, but deeper thoughts were mixed. I wondered if the solution really could eliminate pests without being unhealthy for plants. I remained firm because worries won’t alter the bottom line, an outcome of healthy plants, or none.

Going forward, I will repeat that process daily. After watering, I’ll wait for the plant bodies dry and then spray the solution. I’m figuring on finding three possible outcomes: (1) bugs disappear; (2) plants sag; or (3) nothing changes, and all was for naught.

Dear Friends: One can’t know unless one tries, and each attempt notches new learning. Diana