Is is too late for cutworm prevention?

[hasshoes]

My plants are between four and almost two weeks old. . . .

I was under the impression that you just stuck something around the stem, but now I'm reading that the protection needs to go one inch into the soil- which I'm now worried will damage the roots.

If I shove stuff around the stems one inch deep now, will I potentially be doing more harm than good?

And I don't know if this is relevant or not. . . but starting on Thursday I'm going out of town for a week and leaving the maters unattended. . .

Thanks again!!!

[Fert1]

Supposedly sprinking corn meal around the plants will protect them from cutworms. The idea is that the cutworms eat the cornmeal and not the tomato plant. They can't digest it, so it kills them. I don't know if it's true or not, but I've read it a number of times online. I've never really had a problem with cutworms in my garden. If anything gets my young tomato plants, it tends to be slugs.

[Tomatovator]

I don't think you have to put anything around the whole stem. A nail or something like that can be shoved into the soil next to the stem. From what I understand that prevents the cutworm from being able to encircle it. Do a search here or on GW. I know there have been several threads discussing cutworms.

[patty_b]

If you happened to grow sunflowers, save a couple long stalks for next season cutworm prevention. I have been using the sunflower stem for a couple years and has worked very well. Easy to use and readily available(also tried toothpick, twigs, etc.). Won't help for this season, but just a thought. Patty

[hasshoes]

Thanks! The cornmeal won't lure cutworms to the plants that weren't already going, will it? I don't want to lure the cutworms from other people's garden plots (in community garden) to mine. . .

Thanks again :0)