Blasted critters, large and small

[Ranger J]

I work in a historic site and in it we maintain a historic garden.  The only two plants that we have problems with are the tobacco plants and corn.  In our area at the end of the 19th century local people grew a little tobacco for their own personal use.  Many of today’s local people and almost all the urban visitors we receive have never seen this plant grow.  For their edification we yearly grow about a half dozen plants.  These plants seem to barely get growing before they are visited by tobacco worms.  Where do tobacco worms come from in the middle of the Missouri Ozarks?  A regular spraying of liquid 7 seems to take care of that.  The other problem we have is as the tobacco gets growing well it is soon covered by aphids and I mean covered.  I really don’t want to use any ‘strong’ insecticide and at present try to spray them off with water but that really doesn’t work.  Any old tobacco farmers out there with an idea?
   The other problem we have is with corn.  We plant Hickory King corn and as soon as it breaks the ground something pulls the plant up and eats the root.  As this seems to happen at night I assume it is probably raccoons.  As our garden lies between two cheeks we probably have an endless supply of these animals.  We have had some luck by bribing the perpetrators with piles of corn in the hope that they will eat that and leave out plants alone.  As soon as the corn gets about 6 inches or so high whatever is attacking it leaves it alone.  Any suggestions?
RJ

[jvs]

tobacco hornworm - The destructive larva of a hawk moth (Manduca sexta) of the southern United States and the West Indies that feeds on the leaves of tobacco plants. Also called tobacco worm.


Hawk Moths - The Sphingidae are a family of moths (Lepidoptera). They are commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms. There are about 1,200 described species in the family (Grimaldi & Engel, 2005). It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region (Scoble, 1995). They are moderate to large in size. Among the Lepidoptera, they are distinguished for their rapid, sustained flying ability (Scoble, 1995). The narrow wings and streamlined abdomen are clearly adaptations for rapid flight.

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Looks like you haver night visitors in the air and on the ground. 

Lady Bugs along with some other beneficial bugs are a Natural Predator of Aphids and are available commercially.

Skunks, Voles and Moles will cause havoc with some young plants when in search of Grubs.  Raccoons might also but not as likely.  I have watched Crows pull up young plants in search of the insect life underground.  Root Magots and Cutworms can also ruin a good plot.

Remove the Grubs and you may take care of the problem of loosing corn.  A .22 with birdshot can take care of Crows.

[Ranger J]

I really don’t think that varmints looking for grubs dig up the corn.  As soon as the corn gets about 1-½ inches high it is pulled out, no sign of much digging, and the newly germinated corn grain nibbled off.  The rest of the plant is discarded right where it was pulled from ground.  This always happens at night.  Whatever it is will go right down the row and pull up each and every one.  If we can get the plant past the just breaking the ground stage, around three inches tall or so, then it will be left alone.  We also plant broomcorn and sorghum and both of these are ignored.  Shooting is not an option as this is in a state park.
RJ

[gdolby]

Good day to all.. electric fence or plant cages for your night invaders. far as the tobacco worms go a mild vinegar solution should work. good luck. Bill

[jvs]

I really don’t think that varmints looking for grubs dig up the corn.  As soon as the corn gets about 1-½ inches high it is pulled out, no sign of much digging, and the newly germinated corn grain nibbled off.  The rest of the plant is discarded right where it was pulled from ground.  This always happens at night.  Whatever it is will go right down the row and pull up each and every one.  If we can get the plant past the just breaking the ground stage, around three inches tall or so, then it will be left alone.  We also plant broomcorn and sorghum and both of these are ignored.  Shooting is not an option as this is in a state park.

I have a friend who has a problem something like this.  He tracked it down to some Chipmunks that were raiding his garden.  Luckily he has a little box trap, and so far he trapped over a dozen Chipmunks out of his garden and moved them far, far away. 

Since he got rid of most of the Chipmunks, he garden problems have been solved.