How to deal with earwigs in your vegetable garden (before they eat everything)

If you've begun growing your own vegetables and fruit, you'll likely have become hyper-aware of all the critters that are desperate to eat it before you do. So, how to deal with earwigs in your vegetable garden?

That's right; while many of us tend to spend our time wondering how to get rid of slugs, it seems we should spare a thought for earwigs, too – particularly if you're trying to grow your own vegetables.

'Earwigs can be helpful if you have fruit trees in your garden as they will eat pesky aphids and nematodes. However, it's a different story when it comes to vegetable gardens as they feast on the leaves of many vegetable plants (and fruit plants),' says Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

Morris Hankinson

Morris Hankinson is the founder and managing director of Hopes Grove Nurseries Ltd, the UK’s only specialist grower-retailer of hedging plants. He established the thriving business in 1992, shortly after graduating with a Commercial Horticulture Degree from Writtle College, Essex.

How to deal with earwigs in your vegetable garden

Noting that earwigs 'are particularly troublesome for lettuces, tomatoes, strawberries and corn silk,' Morris points out that these pesky garden pests 'also eat seedlings which will prevent your vegetables from growing before they've even had a chance'.

Now, the experts at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) say we ought to 'tolerate earwigs in the garden, they are part of the natural balance and in some cases, especially fruit trees and shrubs can help reduce aphid numbers'.

Still, if they're wreaking havoc with your vegetable patch, there are ways to banish earwigs from your backyard. Just be sure you take care to 'avoid pesticides, as these will affect non-target animals,' add RHS experts.

'If you want to get rid of earwigs from your vegetable garden, firstly you should remove any potential hiding places, as they thrive in dark, cool, moist places,' says Morris Hankinson of Hopes Grove Nurseries.

With that in mind, then, he advises you clear your vegetable garden of weeds, piles of stones, and anything they could hide under.

'If you have leafy branches from other trees growing close to your vegetable garden, regularly prune them so they don't become a hiding place either,' he adds. 'And remember, much like other pests, earwigs hate certain scents so you can create your own natural deterrent using peppermint oil, vinegar and other strong smelling products!'

Here are three other methods you can try too.

1. Create traps

The best way to deal with earwigs is to unleash your inner Bear Grylls and – wait for it! – set traps for them.

While this can be as simple as setting upturned flower pots around your vegetable patch and stuffing them loosely with hay, you can also upcycle old newspapers or cardboard tubes into earwig traps.

'Place damp rolled newspapers or cardboard tubes around the garden in the evening,' says Christopher O'Donoghue, one of the co-directors at Gardens Revived.

Christopher O'Donoghue

A gardener with over a decade of experience under his belt, Christopher set up Gardens Revived with his brother, Andrew, in 2018 to create a thriving family business. Together, they have worked on residential gardens, listed buildings and gardens, flower shows and large estates with some exceeding 70 acres – many with historical significance.

'Earwigs will hide in these during the day, and you can collect and dispose of them in the morning,' he adds.

2. Inspect your garden regularly

'If you want to deal with earwigs in your vegetable garden, you need to first determine whether or not they're the cause of all your problems,' says Christopher.

'Regularly inspect your garden at night with a torch, then, to see who's causing the damage. You can manually remove earwigs, if you can stomach it.'

3. Remove garden lights

You may love lighting your garden up at night, but it's worth noting that earwigs are every bit as fond of your solar lamps as you are.

'Earwigs are attracted to lights at night,' says Christopher. 'Reducing outdoor lighting, then, can decrease their attraction to your garden.'

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FAQs

Why are earwigs good for the garden?

As per the RHS, 'On fruit trees earwigs can give good control of fruit aphids and do not cause damage to the trees or fruit'.

'Providing shelters such as flower pots loosely stuffed with hay in trees can help increase numbers,' their experts add.

How do I permanently get rid of earwigs?

As well as removing potential hiding places, Christopher O'Donoghue of Gardens Revived says the best way to get rid of earwigs permanently is to dig out that list of wildlife garden ideas so you can 'encourage natural predators like birds, toads, and predatory insects (e.g., ground beetles) that feed on earwigs'.

'Earwigs thrive in moist environments,' he adds, 'so ensure good drainage in your garden and avoid overwatering if you want to deter them.'

And just like that, you know exactly how to deal with earwigs in your vegetable garden. Time to decide once and for all if you'll be entertaining the so-called butcher beetle for much longer...