How do I stop sow bugs from eating my plants?
The first thing you need to know about sow bugs is that they love to dine on decaying vegetation and therefore have a tendency to show up at the scene of the crime after the real perpetrators (who often dine at night) have long since scuttled off. The sow bugs then get the blame for attacking a plant that they had no interest in the day before when it was strong and healthy.
That doesn't mean that sow bugs won't attack healthy plant material, but there are usually extenuating circumstances when they do. For instance, if you’re growing your plants in compost that hasn't fully rotted, sow bugs will be attracted to the compost and will sometimes damage the plants that are growing in it. Seedlings are particularly vulnerable in this situation.
Before you can get the situation under control, you need to determine whether the sow bugs are the real culprits or just have bad timing. If they really are the ones doing the damage, then controlling them can be as simple as letting the ground dry out completely between waterings. This slow down the process of decay and the sow bugs should soon lose interest. If that doesn't work, you can try putting down some diatomaceous earth.
If you have any questions or comments, please send them to me at vanessa@gardenmuse.ca.
Originally published in the Creston Valley Advance on April 29, 2010.
