By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi | Updated: September 21, 2020 4:40:13 pm

Handpicking caterpillars is the most effective method. (Source: pixabay)

Caterpillar, the larvae of butterflies and moths, can chew on leaves, flowers, shoots, fruits and even other parts of plants, thereby damaging them. In case of caterpillar infestation, you would see holes on the leaves and flower buds.

But instead of using harmful chemical pesticides to protect the plants, you can opt for natural homemade remedies. Homecrop, which deals in DIY kitchen gardens, recently took to Instagram to suggest these simple tips:

View this post on Instagram

Gardeners, Beware of these on your plants. This is the season for caterpillars and once they infect, they eat away the leaves. The leaves end up becoming inedible. They are commonly found on leafy greens such as Spinach or Amaranthus. They are hard to get rid off once they infect. To prevent them use neem oil in higher concentration and occasionally spray the leaves with a soap solution. If you find them on your plants, hand killing is the most effective method unfortunately. They are not usually found during the day as they don’t come out. The moths lay eggs underneath the leaves and come out during the night. You can find them on the sides of your grow bags or containers and use a torch during night to find them. But, as always, prevention is better than cure. So, protect your plants as much as possible. #gardening #vegetablegardener #terracegardening #terracefarming #kitchengarden #ediblegarden #gardeningtips #pests #pestinfestation #insects #caterpillar #homegardens #homecroppers

* Use neem oil in higher concentration and occasionally spray the leaves with a soap solution.

* If you find them on your plants, hand killing is the most effective method.

https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1×1.png

Read| Samantha Akkineni shares tips for storing and sowing seeds for home garden

According to University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, these caterpillars are often hidden in rolled leaves and among foliage, making it difficult to find them. To prevent excessive damage of plants, one should detect the pest early by looking for feeding holes, excrement, webbed or rolled leaves, and eggs. You can also prune off rolled or webbed leaves from plants.

While small plants are likely to be damaged by caterpillar feeding, most well-grown plants are able to outgrow substantial damage.

For more lifestyle news, follow us: Twitter: lifestyle_ie | Facebook: IE Lifestyle | Instagram: ie_lifestyle

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Lifestyle News, download Indian Express App.

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd