I actually love invertebrates and I’ve always considered pill bugs very cute. I fully understand how beneficial they are to gardens but O.M.G. they are destroying my plants this year. In 2 months, I’ve lost 5 luffa, 3 hot pepper, and 2 soybean plants to these adorable little fuckers. Thankfully, they are completely ignoring my Roma tomatoes.
I am going to get some diatomaceous earth today to sprinkle at the base of my plants and probably put down some sacrificial plant scraps to lure and feed them away from my vegetables. I don’t want them all to die, but I can’t get my plants to grow when they eat the stems.
Last year, I had an issue with hydrophobic soil, so this year I have put down straw to keep moisture in, which has allowed the pill bugs to run rampant throughout the garden. I do not overwater but I do live in a more arid climate, so things do get dry pretty quick and plants get thirsty. I almost prefer hydrophobic soil at this point.
I’ll be moving the surviving 3 soybeans and 2 pepper plants to a separate raised garden bed that the pill bugs cannot access, but UGH I never thought I’d be so frustrated with these cute guys!
Looking for any additional advice on getting rid of pill bugs/rollie pillow/sow bugs or whatever you want to call them. Such adorable and incredibly frustrating little fuckers!
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We have lots of them, but I haven’t had problems with them damaging plants in my garden beds. After they went a bit overboard eating the old roots on some of my orchids, I moved the plants onto raised plastic shelving, but that isn’t helpful in your case.
Last year, I actually had a problem with them getting into the house. They were always heading towards the patio door, but since that door was replaced, I don’t get them inside anymore. Now, when I scoop up a handful of soil in the garden bed and I can find 10-20 pill bugs. There are just so many!
Most of my vegetable gardening is in pots or wheeled raised garden beds, my in ground garden bed is only 3ft x 6ft. At least the issue doesn’t affect all of my plants.
I cut down an old tomatillo plant yesterday, I will stick the dead root ball in my garden for the pill bugs to eat. Hoping that between the diatomaceous earth rings around my plants and mulch/old plant cuttings, I can keep them happy and not eating my plants lol
Such adorably frustrating little cuties!
Are you sure it’s the pill bugs? Because they usually only eat dead/decaying plant matter. You really don’t want to kill them off. Maybe they don’t have enough dead stuff to eat and so they’re going after your plants? Maybe you need some compost?
Pill bugs used to eat the apples on my tree. Everyone says that’s not possible but it absolutely is.
Yes, it’s definitely pill bugs eating the plants. Every morning I find a few along the bottom of the stem where the outer layer was chewed off or they climb up and start eating the cotyledons and low hanging leaves.
Yesterday, I put a ring of diatomaceous earth around each plant to help keep them away. I also left some plant cuttings laying around separated from my veggies to give them something to eat. It’s probably a lack of compost, they don’t have that to eat so they go after my plants. I already have wood mulch and lots of bunny poop, do you think that might work as a compost to feed the pill bugs?
I don’t want to kill them all, I think they are super cute and I know how beneficial they are, I just want them to stop eating my plants so I can enjoy some edamame and cucumbers.
