Corn damage can be blamed on several culprits

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Question: I planted some sweet corn a month or so ago and something is eating the green leaves. What can I do?

So many possibilities, and the question is rather open. First off, protect the plants from rabbits, if rabbits can gain entrance to the area. Grasshoppers also can damage corn leaves.

If the damage is light, just ignore it and give it some extra fertilizer to speed up growth so it can recover faster. Grasshoppers are tough to control organically, so you can try Neem oil and pyrethrins if labeled for corn. Cutworms and armyworms can be a problem, so the organic sprays of Dipel, Thuricide or Spinosad will work great on them.

Some organic gardeners will use diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the plants if the damage is from soft-bodied insect larvae like cutworms or armyworms. We do have some hornworms that cause some extensive damage to plants in the fall. Again, they can be controlled with Dipel, Thuricide or Spinosad sprayed on the leaves.

If totally organic is not that important to you, apply Sevin insecticide to the plants, paying close attention to the label and making sure it is approved for use on corn and the insect you want to control. Note on the label how many days after spraying you can enter into the area sprayed.

Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.