Wire Worms

[MJB]

I had a bad crop of potatoes last year, lots of Wire worms.

Anyone got any tips on how to get rid of the pest?

Thanks

 

[Angularity]

The only thing that really/kind of works is regular cultivation over the winter, with thorough cultivation again a week or so before you plant the potatoes, to get birds to eat the 'worms'.

This:https://potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/sites/...pload/Growers Advice - Wireworm Factsheet.pdf will tell you all there is to know.Unfortunately, it's not much.

Cultivate often, lift early. I find it isn't worthwhile growing ware-type potatoes at home, and now only grow earlies or salad types, which we dig and eat the same afternoon. Anything I leave in the ground to harvest later gets so damaged by slugs I would never notice the wireworm anyway.

 

[Swarm]

Was the plot recently turned over grassland? That's usually the cause.

 

[MJB]

Was the plot recently turned over grassland? That's usually the cause.

Two years ago i cleared it. It was a bramble and generally Just rubbish jungle

 

[Angularity]

If it's a big patch, apparently pigs will clear them off. Buy or borrow a couple from now till Easter.

 

[MJB]

If it's a big patch, apparently pigs will clear them off. Buy or borrow a couple from now till Easter.

Ohh the Mrs would be chuffed!

Ill dig it over this weekend for the birds to chew.....

Id read somewhere that people used Lime but I'm not sure

 

[Curley]

I think Swarm has it. I have had wireworm after planting potatoes in new veg borders cut from the lawn. Subsequent harvests have been fine.

 

[george]

Yes I think once you have grown spuds for the first time to clean the ground the problem all but goes away. Assuming you are rotating crops by the time you grow them again it should be fine.
I had a bumper crop of 'cara' some years ago that were riddled . Just had to spend the winter being carefull when peeling them and cutting out all the damage .

 

[Cazza]

Yes I think once you have grown spuds for the first time to clean the ground the problem all but goes away. Assuming you are rotating crops by the time you grow them again it should be fine.
I had a bumper crop of 'cara' some years ago that were riddled . Just had to spend the winter being carefull when peeling them and cutting out all the damage .

That's my experience over the years. I use spuds as the first years crop to clean out the wireworms when I dig up grass for new veg areas.
Cazza

 

[Bryang]

That's my experience over the years. I use spuds as the first years crop to clean out the wireworms when I dig up grass for new veg areas.
Cazza

Same here, bought some top soil in 5 years ago, planted spuds in it first year, terrible problem with wireworm, since been fine.

 

[MJB]

Good to know.

Ive three Beds, and rotating. Ill plant this year in the 1st bed as that had Maize/corn last year so hopefully they will have gone.

Thanks!

 

[Karsal]

Lime does eradicate wireworms but you cannot grow potatoes in that soil for a few years afterwards.

 

[Bryang]

Lime does eradicate wireworms but you cannot grow potatoes in that soil for a few years afterwards.

The no lime rule applies for One year only, unless you use excessive amounts. I only use ground limestone, approx a hand full Per Meter square.

 

[philipm]

Plant mustard then dig it in when its grown wire worm don't seem to like mustard it's also a good green manure

 

[MJB]

Plant mustard then dig it in when its grown wire worm don't seem to like mustard it's also a good green manure

i will try this

 

[Somerford]

Pigs work

As do robins.

When I last had an allotment that I converted from grassland I found a local family of robins would happily perch on the spade or fork handle and happily dive down to eat a wire worm or 10 !

KR

Somerford

 

[psafloyd]

Ohh the Mrs would be chuffed!

Ill dig it over this weekend for the birds to chew.....

Id read somewhere that people used Lime but I'm not sure

You don't want to lime the ground before you put spuds in as they'll get scab.

There is a plant you can grow before spuds that gives off a similar chemical from its roots as a tuber.

Can't think of it's name, but it encourages the worms to come out of their dormancy and starve.

I get them every year in my spuds, but the last couple of crops have been lifted late for various reasons.