February 28, 2012

SUBJECT - Wireworms - handling them the natural way.

We have been asked by quite a number of people how to handle wireworms,
without using chemicals.

The problem with wireworms is that their life cycle is very long so they are
hard to get rid of.  Their adult form is the Click beetle - but is the
larva, the wireworm that ruins our radishes, potatoes and carrots.

They love to burrow and eat.  So you have to deal with them in the soil.
Here are a few ideas:

1.  Till, then retill.  You should start as early as you can in the spring -
say early February even.  Till 3 or 4 times (when it is dry - hard in Powell
River, I know).  In between tillings birds will eat the wireworms

2. After your repeated tilling plant a cover crop of buckwheat, mustard, or
oil radish.  Buckwheat being the cheapest and most readily available (we
have it in stock now).  These plants deter wireworm.  Once they have grown
up and you are ready to plant potatoes, say end March or so, just till the
cover crop into the soil.  Don't remove it.

3. Set traps.  My favourite is the coffee can.  Get a largish coffee can.
Cut off the top and punch holes in the bottom and the sides.  Bury it to the
rim in your garden.  Fill it with carrot and potato peels.  Empty at least
once a week.

4. Another trap - Potato on a Stick.  Get big potatoes and put them on
sticks.  Put them in the garden a couple of weeks before you want to plant
potatoes and during the season.  Bury them in the ground with the stick
sticking up.  Dig up and either remove the worms or replace the potato twice
a week or as they fill with worms.  Discard and replace.

Good luck, wire worms are a very frustrating problem.

See you in the garden