This topic contains 15 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Karen 7 years, 1 month ago.
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Hmm looks like wireworms, a difficult pest see for example this
I hope its just a small area that you have them, was it grass recently?.Sounds bad.
Pests from the old grass I guess of new garden?
Slugs, its just a question of finding and catching/cutting.
Wireworm is more tricky though finding and cutting them will be a big help for next year.
Bonne courage Karen.Here in Taunton, Somerset best year ever for no slug problems. Never had so few slugs! No problem with lettuce root fly either. All my beds built over grass but no wire worm problems. On the down side weird white moth things on my cabbages (just let another batch out tonight) and a little blight on my toms but it hasn’t progressed as quickly as usual. Two friends have lost entire crops in poly tunnels!
Hi Karen,
I found the apples to be more effective than the potatoes when dealing with the wireworms.
These seem to be more of a problem with newly cultivated land, i.e., land that was previously pasture for a long time, and their numbers decrease over time through baiting etc.
As I am sure Charles will tell you pests are a fact of life that we have to deal with but only become a real problem when their numbers grow out of proportion to their natural predators,
Controlling their numbers requires a multipronged approach throughout the year not just during the growing season.
I personally use pellets and traps (bear, timber boards) to control Slugs/Snails and very occasional hunting at night. Companion planting is also effective for attracting predators or as trap crops, Nasturtium (attract Black Flies away from Peas etc), French Marigolds, (it is said their roots emit a substance which will kill some soil born nematodes). A nettle patch is particularly helpful for attracting Ladybirds. A Bug Hotel is also a great way to attract predatory insects. Hog Houses and small ponds are also very effective for attracting predators.
Fleece and netting are also required at certain times of course to deal with our flying friends.
Keeping your plot tidy is also a very important aspect of dealing with pests, don’t leave rubbish/plant debris lying about.
As I said, pest control requires a proactive, as opposed to a reactive, multipronged approach.Don.
Hi Karen,
Like you, I have an apple tree and have noticed this helpful event before. Yes, it does turn your stomach a little, doesn’t it?!
Eliza
These are difficult to get rid of. Earlier my garden has a lot of wire worm. My garden was almost spoiled by them. Later my relative advised me to re-do my garden. Here are few steps to re-do your garden for a pest free garden http://inthebackyard.ca/how-to-have-a-pest-free-garden/. Re-doing garden take a lot of time. So instead, you can plant wheat grass in between your crops. Worms are greatly attracted to wheat grass and they’ll consume it instead of your crops. Else you can place worm traps by burying carrot or potato few inches inside the soil. The worms will screw inside them. You can check the buried vegetable daily and destroy the detected worms.
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