Kitchen Garden Forum

I have dug up my first new potatoes, which is good, except some had holes in, and when I cut them up I found small orange worms in them. (Very wriggly.) Are these wire worms, as I've never had them before? If so, what can I do about them, as I have 3 rows of potatoes, and I'd like to eat some of them!

Thanks.

Having now managed to google wireworms (I was typing 2 separate words and getting nothing!) I'm now not sure that they are wireworms at all. I'm sure they had legs. Has anyone got any ideas? The information I found on wireworms suggested that they are a problem on land which was previously inder grass. My allotment has been in use for years. I haven't been very carful with rotating crops theough, could this be the problem?

Hi Sarah,

Wireworms are the larval stage of the Click Beetle, so they would have six legs at the front end of the body. Hope this helps.

Okay then, they must be wireworms! The only advice I can find is not to grow root crops or potatoes on the affected land for 4-5 years. Has anyone got any more cheerful advice?

Now i didn't think Wireworms did have legs.

oldherbaceous wrote:Now i didn't think Wireworms did have legs.

Hi OH,

Here you are;
http://www.nutrilawn.com/wireworm.htm

Dear PJ, thanks for the picture, i did have to find my monocle to see them though.

You learn something everyday.

Sarah wrote:Okay then, they must be wireworms! The only advice I can find is not to grow root crops or potatoes on the affected land for 4-5 years. Has anyone got any more cheerful advice?

Hi Sarah,

I've just found this link which might help.
http://www.gardentalk.co.uk/cgi-bin/YaB ... 1148511946

Good luck.

Thanks PJ, I will give that a go. I did have some potatoes without holes, which were delicious. It was the bigger ones that were affected, so if I lift the crop quickly once mature, perhaps it will be okay.

Thanks again.

Hi Sarah,
When you have lifted all the spuds grow a row of Mustard which is said to attract Wireworms who then are said to gorge on the roots and expand too fast and burst. I have used the Mustard treatment and it seems to work but have never seen a burst Wireworm.
My first crop of Potatoes here over thirty years ago was a totally disaster because of these wretched creatures. Truth to tell I have not had any problems with them since the whole plot was cultivated and the mustard used.
JB.

Mustard certainly seemed to work for me. This is what I used
http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/plan ... rial_pack/?

Thank you Belinda and Johnboy. I will certainly order some of that.

Hi Sarah,
Rather than purchasing from Victoriana(who are the largest sharks on the Horticultural scene) you can buy from Edwin Tucker's for £1.60 for the same coverage of 50 sq metres instead of Victoriana's £5.99.
Mustard can be sown up until August and utilized until the end of September. If sown any time after your spuds (like nowish) you will get better use of it.
JB.

Thanks Johnboy. I have now ordered from Tuckers at the lower price. However, the total order was more as I browsed their catalogue, and ordered a few more things!! I've never ordered from them before, and was really impressed with the easy to use website, and the cheap postage costs. Thank you.

Hi Sarah,
I have dealt with Tucker's Commercially for many years and they are not only good suppliers of exceedingly good seeds, (contrary to Gardening Which who lambasted them because of some Delphinium Seeds last year)and if you have to phone them you are always made to feel that you are an old and valued customer which is more than can be said for most of the other seed companies.
By buying at £1.60. you could well afford more seed but look at how many seeds you could buy with the extra £4.39 you saved, well you didn't really save but you know what I mean. The other company are really the pits. They trade on the ill informed which is detestable.
JB.