How do I stop earwigs eating my basil?

How to Get Rid of Earwigs

Lay one-foot sections of bamboo or garden hose in the beds between your plants.
Spread petroleum jelly around the stems of your plants.
If they are infesting your woodpile, try sprinkling borax around it, but keep pets and children away from this area after doing so.

How do I stop earwigs eating my plants?

If you are seeing a lot of earwigs, or have had a problem with them in your garden before, you can simply sprinkle a 2-inch-wide circle of diatomaceous earth around beds or the base of plants where earwigs commonly travel; reapply after it rains.

How do I get rid of earwigs in my potted plants?

Clean earwigs from your plants by spritzing them with a homemade concoction of warm water and a few drops of ordinary dishwashing liquid. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle (or fill a bucket with the mixture) and spray or wipe the leaves of your plants.

Is it OK to eat basil leaves with holes?

If there are holes in your basil leaves, it means that something is eating your plant. Remove the leaves with holes first, even if they are small holes. Basil has such a wonderful flavor, it’s no wonder so many insects enjoy it as much as we do.

How do I keep earwigs out of my vegetable garden?

However, the method that I find works well is linseed oil. Simply put a centimetre of linseed oil into an old glass jar or coffee mug and bury it in the soil so that the lip of the vessel is level with the soil. The earwigs will be attracted to the smell of the linseed oil and fall into the jar and drown in the liquid.

Are earwigs bad for potted plants?

But that is not to say that earwigs are not harmful to your garden though. Earwigs will chew on flowers, vegetables and other plants. Earwig damage can be identified by ragged edges or holes found on the leaves and petals of a plant.

Do earwigs eat potted plants?

Since some earwigs prefer young plants, besides being a garden pest, the earwigs can become an indoor pest and feed on indoor plants. Earwigs are commonly found under plant pots in the saucer that is used to catch water that drains through the soil.

Why does my basil have little holes in it?

If there are holes in your basil leaves, it means that something is eating your plant. Remove the leaves with holes first, even if they are small holes. Insects that eat your plants will sometimes lay eggs near where they have eaten, and others are small enough to hide on the leaf or in the hole.

How do I get rid of earwigs on my Basil?

Earwigs like to come out at night when you’re not looking and eat flowers and new growth. Remove mulch like bark or piles of leaves from the immediate area. a thin layer of diatomaceous earth around the basil will discourage them. However this will have to be redone after a rainfall

What do earwigs eat in the garden?

While earwigs do eat leaves and fruits from a long list of plants, they also consume small soft-bodied insects. But especially in rainy years, earwigs in the garden become so numerous that they turn up everywhere and eat things you wish they wouldn’t, like the poor basil below.

Are earwigs a natural pest control option?

Natural pest control is a gardener’s friend. However, earwigs are fast breeders and with the right conditions can quickly multiply to a point where they start looking for other forms of food, such as your favorite tender plants and new starts. When populations are out of control, earwigs can easily wipe out a bed of seedlings in a few nights.

What does earwig plant damage look like?

I had found the culprit. What Does Earwig Plant Damage Look Like? Earwig damage can look similar to slug damage. Earwigs tend to prefer the more tender parts of plants and will target young plants first, often leaving the tougher veins of the leaf alone.