Tomato Plant Collar for Cutworm Protection

About Tomato Plant Collars

A tomato plant collar is a simple barrier placed around the stem of a plant, to keep cutworms and other worms from damaging your plants. It is also referred to as a “cutworm collar”. The effectiveness of these collars is not limited to tomato plants. It can be used on any vegetable or flower plant that you are experiencing problems with cutworms and other worms.

Cutworms feed on young seedling plants. They commonly feed on the plant stem, often right at or near the base. Some varieties will even climb up the plant and eat the branches and shoots. More on Cutworms

How to Make a Tomato Plant Collar

Here is some great news in the battle against cutworms: Cutworm collars are effective and easy to make. The overall length of the plant collars should be at least 5-7 inches long.

What to Use:

The item you use to make the collar should be 6 to 7 inches long.

Paper or plastic cups
Tin cans
Milk jugs
Aluminum foil
Center rolls of paper towels or toilet paper

Installing the Tomato Plant Collar:

First, remove the bottom, if there is one.
Next, carefully place the collar over a small, young plant.
For older established plants, slit the collar along its length. Then, place it around the plant, with the cut ends slightly overlapped.
Bury the collar about two inches into the soil.
The collar should be about 3-4 inches above the soil.