Wire worm

[Shallot Man]

I have had my plot for some 37 odd years now,this year I am plagued by wire-worm in my spuds, any suggestions please, prepared to use anything short of dynamite [unable to find a stockist]

[retropants]

try Acme


(sorry!)

[Shallot Man]

retroplants. many thanks for your suggestion.

[Mike Vogel]

growing mustard before planting the crop is supposed to accelerate the pupation of wireworm, which mature and fly off before doing harm to the crop.

[Johnboy]

Hi Mike and Shallot Man,
Certainly the growing of Mustard seems to do the trick.
I was always led to believe that the Wireworm gorge on mustard and die as a result, they are said to literally burst! Maybe another old wives tale though.
My thought, and it is only a thought mind, could you grow mustard in between the rows of spuds as they grow and would this have the same dire effect? Would the Mustard draw the Wireworm away from the crop?
Is this worth a try I wonder.
JB.

[Shallot Man]

Johnboy. Will try this next year.