Wireworms eating my potatoes!!

[JoanneNC]

Have any of you ever dealt with these and if so is there anything I can do once it the potatoes start to show some damage? I saw some wilting on some of the stems so I pulled one plant and found the wireworm. Any hope for my first attempt at potato growing, and the plants looked so good prior to this.

Thanks for any suggestions.
JoanneNC

 

[Rosalind]

According to my Rodale's book, the soil should be cultivated in winter and a cover crop of mustard grown. Also says that the first year is the worst, and if you lift the potatoes early in the autumn and then till repeatedly, then put down mustard seed, it'll get better.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

A cover crop of mustard does help with controlling wireworm populations.

For this year, you might want to consider a few options for wireworm controls. Planting carrots (or even full grown carrots) around your potatoes may entice the wireworms away from your potatoes. Also, planting pieces of potato around your current potatoes might help. The idea behind this is that they prefer full grown and easier to eat vegetables. The cut up potatoes would really do the trick.

Doing some light tilling around your plants, careful though not to damage new tubers, will expose wireworms and then you can collect them (and give them to the birds).

Click Beetles lay their eggs in weedy and grassy areas. If you planted near this or on a recently weedy or grassy area then this may be the biggest reason. It usually takes about 5 years to get rid of an infestation, mostly because it takes about 5 years for the wireworms to develop into Click Beetles. The mustard cover crop that Rosalind recommended will help with this.

Also, beneficial nematodes (specifically, Heterorhabditis megidis) can possibly help against wireworms. Nematodes are available commercially so you should check around. Typically H. megidis is used for controlling grubs but there have been instances where it has appeared to help control wireworms as well.

Good luck.