This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
wire worm in potatoes
Jan Curtis
Posts: 1
in Talkback
I have had to throw over half my first early crop of potatoes away because of wire worm damage, most were completely unusable.
Now I am digging my second earlies and am noticing same problem creeping in, can anyone advise on what I can do please.
Years ago bromophos was recommended option, but don't think this nasty chemical is available any more, and we are organic here.
I rotate regularly, so not putting them is same ground every year, problem has always occurred because this garden was once fields as many are, but 8is getting worse every year.
Same problem occurs in my pollytunnel with potatoes.
Can anyone help please?
0
Posts
We have an old house with no central heating so use open fires and stoves. I always keep the soot from the chimneys and put that in before the potatoes and we have no trouble from slugs or other beasties (not new soot let it mature for a few months)
I don't suppose you keep chickens do you? If you do I'd leave the area fallow for a while and move your chickens onto that patch for a year - they love wireworms and will deal with them for you.
I know that's not much help if you don't keep chickens ........... sorry
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have a similar problem but they also attack peas beans and the roots of newly planted brassicas, I now water in everything with Jeyes fluid it does not stop them but slows them down to give the plants a chance to establish
Have you read Jeyes own Safety Data Sheet?
http://www.bashplots.org.uk/COSHH/Jeyes%20Fluid.pdf
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.