Hi All, can somebody tell me how to get ride of wire worms, >:( >:(
i went over to the plot over the weekend and dug up some potatoes, but when we cleaned them for dinner on sunday they had small brown spots all through them, :'(
will i have this problem every year, and will i get this in other plants like carrots, parsnips, or will it be where i place my manure ??? ??? ::)
There's a green manure you can grow which speeds up their life cycle so they clear off as flying adults before there are tubers to infest... some bright spark will know which one... :)
Mustard is supposed to be the most effective green manure for ridding the soil of wireworms some people have success with rape too. If you try this then remember that mustard and rape are from the brassica family and should not be followed by crops of other brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower etc...
If you grow squash in the area next year it might slow down the population rate as wireworms don't normally eat it & they will be less inclined to breed if they don't think there is sufficient food available.
i red somewhere you can use traps
Potatoes are attractive to wireworms and can be used as a simple trap. Cut a potato in half, cut out the eyes to prevent it from growing, and run a stick through the middle. Bury the spud about one inch under so that the stick stands vertically as a handle, and pull the traps out after a day or two.
or
tin can with holes drilled/punched in it big enough for the worms to crawl in. Fill it with potato and carrot peelings, and place it in the ground. Check it frequently and dispose of the wireworms you find in the can.
They usually feed on grass roots. Keep grass away from your beds, and in time (it takes a few years) they will disappear of their own accord.
Last year I had both wire worms and slugs. This year the wire worms don't seem to be present...though I haven't dug all my potatoes yet. The last thing in this bed was cabbages. The previous bed last year had been leeks after first cultivation from grass. Don't know if that tells anybody anything.
I agree, you need to get rid of established grass from near your beds. I have a wireworm problem in my beds that are in the middle of thick grass.