Eelworms

[dragonetteMember]

Hello

One of my fellow allotmenteer has reported the presence of eelworms. My companion planting book advise planting marigold but none of my other books give any advice, apart from the expert guide drastic instructions: burn plants and don’t grow lettuce or brassicas for 6 years!

As anyone got any tips?

Many thanks

Dragonette

[charlesModerator]

 I think these books always state worst case scenario and make you want to give up! You could try marigolds, not sure how effective they are, but how bad are these eelworms? Have they bveen properly identified? Or do you mean wireworm?!! If the latter that is more serious, usually after grass:  but how many are there?

[dragonetteMember]

It would be diffult to see them as they are too small and transparent. However the effect on the plants’ root is very dramatic: round rubbery, tumour-like growths at the end of the root, stopping the growth of both the roots and the plants.

[charlesModerator]

 Sounds bad!
According to Crocus, eelworm affect only certain plants – potato and onion are the two vegetables mentioned (also phlox & chrysanthemum). But are all of your veg affected? With the same cysts at root ends?

[dragonetteMember]

Brassica are affected, I don’t know if other vegs are, I’ll ask when I next see him, hopefully today as we’re expecting sunshine at 4pm so I’ll rush to my plot -luckily unaffected at the moment. It sounds like it might be a different problem then.

I read somewhere that this type of problem happened on ‘heavily cultivated land’ My plot was a bit of field that used to flood and I’ve never dug it, marigolds are self-seeding happily so fingers crossed. For sure I’m not planting anythings that comes from anyone’s plot.

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