Sowbugs Devouring Seedlings: Organic and Chemical Controls

Sowbugs (pill bugs) were eating every new seedling—jalapeño, squash, cucumbers, okra—in a garden. These crustaceans typically bother only very young plants, chewing stems and leaves enough to kill them. The gardener preferred organic methods but found diatomaceous earth ineffective.

Spraying seedling beds with a water-based garden insecticide a few times before plants outgrow vulnerability helps. Rainy weather and highly organic soil worsen the problem. Organic option: spinosad. Conventional options: Bayer Insect Control or Ortho Bug B Gon.