Killer worms

RainCoast · May 5, 2018

Anyone recognize this culprit?

Nan_PA_6b · May 5, 2018

What type of plant is it eating?

Nan

RainCoast · May 5, 2018

The plant is an Ultra Boy Tomato (stem which was below soil surface, planted last week)

Rockandrollin · May 5, 2018

Blankty blank wireworms!
Took out my watermelons last year. Been trying to control them since.
They so far haven't messed with my tomatoes.

Nan_PA_6b · May 5, 2018

Yep, it's a wireworm. I found this site:
https://gardentherapy.ca/tomatoes-under-seig/

Nan

RainCoast · May 5, 2018

Many thanks for the quick reply. I really appreciate the link to the instructions for a trap.

You've made my day. Thank you again.

b54red · May 5, 2018

Wow that is something a tomato pest I have never had the joy of encountering. Ugly looking things.

Bill

AlittleSalt · May 5, 2018

Bill, I was thinking the exact same thing.

GrowingCoastal · May 6, 2018

They mention using a spot where grass was growing before making the area into a garden bed. A friend put sod into her compost and infested her whole garden with wireworms. The potato trick worked well but took time.

GoDawgs · May 6, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Yep, it's a wireworm. I found this site:
https://gardentherapy.ca/tomatoes-under-seig/

Nan

Thank you for that! I haven't had problems recently but I can remember a whole row of beautiful potato plants in newly created beds being taken out by these bastiges a good while ago. Now that my beds aren't "new" I haven't had the problem but I will remember this when "mission creep" has me digging up new ground for another bed!

May 5, 2018	#2
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	What type of plant is it eating? Nan

May 5, 2018	#3
RainCoast Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 21	The plant is an Ultra Boy Tomato (stem which was below soil surface, planted last week)

May 5, 2018	#4
Rockandrollin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Kennewick, WA (7a) Posts: 182	Blankty blank wireworms! Took out my watermelons last year. Been trying to control them since. They so far haven't messed with my tomatoes.

May 5, 2018	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Wow that is something a tomato pest I have never had the joy of encountering. Ugly looking things. Bill

May 5, 2018	#8
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Bill, I was thinking the exact same thing.

May 6, 2018	#9
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	They mention using a spot where grass was growing before making the area into a garden bed. A friend put sod into her compost and infested her whole garden with wireworms. The potato trick worked well but took time.