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Much of the damage in my garden on my leafy greens is from sowbugs. I am going to war with them, but I don't want to use pesticides. Here are some ideas for how to do it safely.

Damage to my Bok Choy and Bell Peppers

Here are effective steps to manage pillbugs:

Limit Soil Moisture

- Water your garden early in the day. This practice allows the soil to dry out by the evening when pillbugs are most active.
- Opt for drip or furrow irrigation over sprinklers to keep the soil from staying wet.
- Consider using raised beds and planting boxes to elevate your plants and reduce dampness.
- Apply coarse mulch under fruits and vegetables lying on the ground to improve drainage. Alternatively, elevate susceptible fruits and vegetables using pebbles, strawberry baskets, or overturned cans to prevent direct soil contact.

Protect Young Plants

- Plant seeds deeply and delay watering until after the emergence of the first true leaves.
- Start your plants indoors and transplant the seedlings into mounded soil outdoors to ensure better drainage and protection from pillbugs.

Trap and Kill

- Place objects like boards or large stones in damp areas of your garden to attract pillbugs. During the day, flip these objects over and transfer the pillbugs into a container of soapy water.
- Rolled up newspapers placed around the garden also make excellent traps. Simply shake out the pillbugs into soapy water. - Use halved melons or grapefruits, or hollowed-out raw potato halves as bait. Place these with the cut side down on the ground to trap pillbugs.