Content
A wireworm is a soil-dwelling click beetle larva that prefers potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables. The insect also feeds on shoots of sunflowers, grapes and other plants. The easiest way to detect wireworms is in the fall: while digging the soil or by looking at corroded root crops.
Why is wireworm dangerous?
The wireworm has the appearance of a larva 10-45 mm long. Its color is yellow or dark brown. The insect destroys seedlings, root systems, stems, and seeds of vegetables. In root vegetables, the wireworm eats through the passages, as a result of which the vegetables become unsuitable for consumption.
The life cycle of the wireworm is 5 years. In the first year, its larvae live in the soil and eat the underground part of plants. In the second year, the wireworm grows and causes serious damage to all plantings.
Fungal diseases spread through the damaged surface of root crops. During storage, such tubers often rot.
The activity of the larvae depends on weather conditions. If the summer turns out to be dry, then in search of moisture the wireworm penetrates deeply into the root crops. When vegetables form in moist soil, there is less damage.
Basic methods of struggle
Various methods can be used to get rid of wireworms.One of them is compliance with the rules of planting crops and crop rotation. With proper application of mineral fertilizers, the number of insects can be significantly reduced. If emergency measures are required, then chemicals come to the rescue. In addition to basic methods, you can use folk remedies.
Proper agricultural technology
To get rid of wireworms in potatoes, you need to follow the rules of agricultural technology in the garden:
- in the fall, the soil is carefully dug up; if larvae or adult wireworms are found, they are destroyed;
- are eliminated weeds and remains of previous cultures;
- the rules of crop rotation are observed (potatoes can be planted after cabbage, pumpkin, beets, carrots - after cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, legumes);
- planting green manure that repel wireworms.
Every year, the beds where vegetable crops grew are dug up to a depth equal to the bayonet of a shovel. In autumn, the faces of the wireworm go deep into the ground. If you raise them to the surface, they will die when cold weather sets in.
Clearing the soil of weed and vegetable roots will deprive the insect of a food source. The wireworm prefers fireweed and wheatgrass, so these plants need to be eliminated first.
In the fall, green manure is planted in the beds - plants that saturate the soil with useful substances and loosen it. After emergence of seedlings, the plants are dug up.
An effective method for getting rid of wireworms in the fall is to plant green manure:
- Phacelia - an annual plant that grows even at low temperatures. Its cultivation allows you to disinfect the soil and saturate it with nitrogen.
- Lupine – green manure used for poor soils.As a result of its cultivation, the soil is enriched with nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Mustard – an annual crop capable of accumulating useful substances in the soil. Seed germination occurs even at zero temperatures.
Minerals
The use of minerals allows you to get rid of wireworms in potatoes in a short time. One of these methods is the use of saltpeter. As a result, the acidity of the soil changes and the wireworm dies.
Ammonium nitrate has the appearance of a white crystalline substance that is used on any type of soil. This fertilizer begins to act immediately after it gets into the ground and does not lose its properties after the onset of cold weather.
Liming using ash or chalk helps reduce acidity. These components are added in the fall before digging the beds. For every square meter, 1 kg of substance is required.
Potassium permanganate has good disinfectant properties. Based on it, a solution is prepared, which is used to water the soil in the fall. For 10 minutes of water, 5 g of potassium permanganate is sufficient.
When wireworms are detected in the fall, the area is covered with lime. An alternative is to use potassium chloride. This substance contains up to 65% chlorine.
The product can only be used in the fall, since chlorine in its pure form is harmful to plants and humans. Until spring, the chlorine will be washed away by rain or evaporate, so planting in the beds can be done without fear.
Potassium chloride is used to get rid of wireworms on sandy and peaty soils, where fertilization is required to increase productivity.In spring, accumulated potassium will have a beneficial effect on the development of beets and potatoes.
Chemicals
To combat soil pests, special chemicals are being developed. These are substances that have toxic properties, so they are used in compliance with safety rules.
An effective remedy against wireworms is “Bazudin”. The drug has the form of a granular powder. One package, which contains 30 g of the substance, is enough to treat 20 sq.m of beds. When interacting with insects, the drug penetrates the intestinal system. The result is a paralyzing effect, and the wireworm dies.
"Bazudin" is used in one of the following ways:
- For potatoes - in the form of a dry mixture consisting of the drug and sand (sawdust). For 10 g of Bazudin, 0.9 liters of filler is required.
- For large areas, the product is scattered over the surface of the soil, after which it is applied by loosening to a depth of about 10 cm.
Creating Lures
A common method for getting rid of wireworms in early autumn is to use baits. To do this you will need carrots, beets or potatoes, which are cut into pieces. Each piece is placed on a thin stick and stuck into the ground every 10 cm.
After a few days, the bait is changed and the pests are destroyed. This method is suitable for small planting areas. If you need to process large plantations, the method will be too labor-intensive.
Another option for using wireworm bait is to place pieces of vegetables in a jar, which is buried in the ground. After a few days, the jar is dug up and its contents are removed.
The bait is also strung on a wire, which is then placed in the ground.After 3-4 days, the device is removed and the pests are eliminated.
You can use oat, corn or wheat seeds as bait. These crops can be planted in the fall. As the plant germinates, it will attract wireworms. To get rid of pests, it is enough to pull them out by the roots before frost sets in.
Traditional methods
You can get rid of wireworms using traditional methods:
- Herbal infusion. You can prepare a product based on nettle. To do this, 0.5 kg of chopped grass is required per bucket of water. Instead of nettles, you can use dandelions, of which you need 0.2 kg per bucket of water. The product is infused for two days, after which the soil where the root crops grew is watered.
- Tops from plants or straw are left on the site in the fall, forming several piles. The rotting grass attracts wireworms, which accumulate in it in large quantities. After frost occurs, the plants are collected and burned.
- Another option is to dig small holes in the area where the straw is placed. The top of the pit is covered with boards. With the onset of cold weather, plant debris is taken out and destroyed.
- In the fall, you can take onion peels and bury them in the ground. The husk contains phytoncides that can disinfect the soil and repel pests. It also contains vitamins and microelements that improve the structure of the soil.
- Wood ash has the property of repelling wireworms. It is scattered between planting rows or added to the soil during autumn digging. You need to use ash obtained after burning wood or plants.
- To combat wireworms, you can use shells from raw eggs.It needs to be ground, add sunflower oil for scent and bury it in the ground. This fertilizer contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
Conclusion
Digging up the soil, removing weeds and planting green manure helps eliminate wireworms from the site. To solve the problem in the autumn, you need to add fertilizers to the soil or use chemicals. Wireworms can be eliminated by constructing a variety of baits. Onion peels, herbal infusions and other folk remedies have good disinfectant properties.
