After the initial eating frenzy in early spring, the number of cutworm larvae and the extent of the damage from them generally decrease.  Consider planting a perennial flower garden. Plant it around the outside of your vegetable garden as a form of cutworm prevention. Unlike weeds and tall grasses, the flowers die off in the fall when the adults are looking for places to lay eggs. Till the soil in the spring before planting to expose and kill larvae that wintered over in the soil. Remove weeds from your garden and from the areas around your garden to cut back on places where moths can lay eggs. This also removes some food that keeps cutworms alive. Keep the grass around the garden cut short. Remove all plant debris from the garden after harvest to discourage adult moths from laying eggs. Till the soil again in the fall to expose larvae and decrease the number that survive winter hibernation. If you can, consider allowing chickens to graze in your garden after tilling. They will eat any cutworms present in the soil. Keeping your yard animal-friendly is a great way to control cutworms, since birds and many other animals love to eat them. Encourage the following animals to enjoy cutworms in your garden:  Toads Moles Fireflies Blackbirds Meadowlarks

Summary: Delay planting your garden for a couple of weeks if possible. Keep your garden neat. Clean up your garden after harvest. Make your garden hospitable to cutworm predators.


Be aware that vitamin supplements are not regulated by the Federal Drug Administration, so always be cautious about taking any over the counter supplements. In one study, vitamin E supplements were shown to be effective at reducing the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. You may be at risk of heart failure if you use high doses of this supplement for a long period of time. Talk to your doctor before taking any natural supplements. These are herbal treatments that may relieve your hot flashes. Black cohosh is a supplement that can produce estrogen like effects on your body and offer relief from hot flashes. However, you may experience mild stomach upset and the supplement can be harmful to your liver and there is no evidence that it works better than placebo pills. Evening primrose oil is a supplement that can help relieve your hot flashes, however, you may experience side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and headache. These alternative treatments can help to reduce the frequency and severity of your hot flashes. Some women have experienced relief via acupuncture, however the treatment can be costly and may require multiple sessions. Research has shown that hypnosis can successfully relieve hot flashes in women with breast cancer and reduced the number of hot flashes women experienced each day. But more medical research is needed to assess the longer term effectiveness of these treatments.
Summary: Take vitamin E supplements. Use black cohosh or evening primrose oil. Consider acupuncture and hypnosis.