How to get rid of wireworms in the garden forever

Content

1 How does wireworm harm
2 Fighting methods
3 Conclusion

The wireworm damages root crops and eats the above-ground parts of plants. There are various methods to get rid of wireworms in the garden.

How does wireworm harm

The wireworm is found in the garden as a yellow-brown larva, 10 to 40 mm long, from which the click beetle emerges. In the larval state, this insect prefers seeds, roots and above-ground parts of plants. As a result of its activities, up to 70% of the crop can be destroyed.

Because the pest lives in the ground, it is identified in the fall by the presence of numerous passages in potatoes and carrots. The wireworm remains viable for 5 years, of which it spends 3-4 years in the larval state.

Important! The pest is most active in dry weather.

In rainy summers, damage from wireworms in the garden area is reduced. Most often, late potato varieties suffer from the pest. If root crops ripen in the first half of summer, when the soil is not yet dry enough, then the insect does not have time to cause serious damage.

In the first year, the wireworm lives underground and does not cause serious damage to plantings. The insect causes the greatest damage to root crops in the second and third years of its development.

Fighting methods

The main method of how to get rid of wireworms in the garden is to follow agricultural practices. If corrected in a timely manner weedy grass, digging up beds and observing crop rotation, the likelihood of pest occurrence is minimized.

Compliance with agricultural technology

Proper care helps protect plants from the spread of wireworms. This includes a certain set of measures:

Compliance with crop rotation rules. It is recommended to plant potatoes in beds where legumes and grains, cucumbers, pumpkins, beets, and various greens previously grew. Carrots are planted after cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers.
Deep digging of the garden in the fall. Wireworm larvae burrow into the soil for the winter. By digging up the beds, insects end up on the surface. If you perform the procedure before the onset of frost, up to 90% of pests will die as a result.

During digging, beetle larvae are eliminated. Experienced gardeners dig up the beds, removing weeds that become food for insects. Wireworms are attracted to the rhizomes of fireweed and wheatgrass.

Planting green manure. Green manures are plants that can repel insects and saturate the soil with useful substances. Green manure can be planted in late autumn after harvesting or in early spring before planting the main crops.

Wireworms can be gotten rid of by planting the following plants:

Mustard - green manure, which is characterized by rapid growth in all weather conditions. The plant grows better in fertile soils and germinates even at zero temperatures.
Lupine - a plant used in poor soils. Its cultivation improves the structure of sandy and clay soil.Lupine saturates the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus, quickly decomposes and creates unfavorable conditions for pests.
Phacelia – an annual plant whose roots loosen the soil and increase its permeability. Phacelia grows on any type of soil, and the growing season continues until the onset of frost.
Alfalfa - green manure, which is planted on any soil, with the exception of saline and acidic soils. Constant addition of moisture will help stimulate the emergence of seedlings. When blooms appear, remove the alfalfa and use it as compost.

Chemicals

To combat wireworms in dacha conditions, special preparations are used, developed specifically for these purposes.

Important! When working with chemicals, precautions and specified dosages are observed.

The most effective means that can solve the problem of how to defeat wireworms are:

Bazudin. The drug has the form of a powder consisting of small granules. One package containing 30 g of the substance is enough to treat 20 square meters. m landings. Bazudin has a paralytic effect and causes their death. The procedure for dealing with wireworms must comply with the instructions. The drug is applied dry to each hole before planting potatoes. It can be pre-mixed with sand or sawdust. The consumption of Bazudin is 10 g per 10 potato bushes. The substance can be scattered over the surface of the soil, and then embedded to a depth of 20 cm. This method is the most effective, however, it requires a large consumption of the drug.
Provotox. Among the means to destroy wireworms, the drug Provotox stands out.It is used specifically to combat this pest. Granules of the substance are scattered into furrows before planting potatoes and other crops. Provotox is not used with other chemicals. The consumption of the drug is 40 g per 10 square meters. m. Provotox does not accumulate in the soil and is safe for animals and people. The product does not have a negative effect on the life of worms. Regular use of the drug allows you to get rid of wireworms forever.
Zemlin. The drug has a wide range of effects and is used to combat wireworms in the garden, as well as mole crickets, cabbage flies and other pests.Zemlin is available in a package containing 30 g of the substance. One package is enough to process 20 square meters. m beds. The drug is used in the spring when planting seeds and tubers. In the fall it is applied to prevent the spread of pests.
Metarizin. This remedy for wireworms is a fungal spore that, when ingested by an insect, has a toxic effect. As a result, the activity of all organs of the pest is neutralized, which causes its death. Metarizin is available in liquid form and is added to the irrigation solution. We fight wireworms with a solution. For 10 liters of water, 0.5 liters of the drug is required. The solution consumption is 200 ml for every 10 square meters. m landings.

Minerals

Mineral components are used to feed plants and make it possible to create conditions that are unacceptable for wireworms.

The following substances will help you remove wireworms without using chemicals:

Application of ammonium sulfate as a fertilizer. The consumption of the substance is 25 g per square meter.Ammonium sulfate is applied in the spring before planting, after which it is used to fertilize several times a season.
To protect plantings from wireworms, ammonium nitrate is used on the site, which begins to act immediately after it enters the ground. This fertilizer does not lose its properties even during frosts. Ammonium nitrate is applied in the form of granules directly to the soil or a solution is prepared based on it. The consumption of the substance is 25 g per square meter. m.
Watering with a solution of potassium permanganate. Before planting potatoes in the country, the soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. The consumption of the substance is 5 g per bucket of water. 0.5 liters of solution is added to each bush.
Decline acidity soil. Chalk or ash will help change acidity levels. The content of these components should not exceed 1 kg per 1 sq. m. Every 3 years you can add lime to the soil.

Creating Traps

You can get rid of wireworms using traps. To do this, small pieces of potatoes or carrots are strung on a wire. Then wireworm baits are placed in the ground to a depth of no more than 10 cm, leaving up to 10 cm between them.

Important! Traps are used in the spring before planting the main crop, when the soil has not yet dried out.

You can remove the bait along with the wireworm after 3 days. Pieces of vegetables are often placed in a jar or plastic cup, which is buried up to the neck in the soil and covered. After a few days, you need to get a trap and destroy the wireworm.

The pest is also attracted to sprouted cereal seeds. They are planted between rows of potatoes. When the plants sprout, they are removed, as are the insects themselves.

In the fall, when you harvest, you can leave piles of tops on the ground.The rotting plant attracts the wireworm. After a few days, the plants are removed along with the pest.

Folk remedies

Wireworms can be removed using folk remedies:

Preparation of nettle infusion. 0.5 kg of crushed plants is poured with water. After 12 hours, an effective means of combating wireworms is obtained.
Instead of nettles, you can use dandelions, of which 0.2 kg per bucket of water is enough. The infusion is left for half a day, then used for watering.
Celandine has the property of repelling insects. Traditionally, wireworms and other pests were poisoned with a product based on it. To prepare the infusion, 0.1 kg of crushed plants is required. The product is left for three days to obtain maximum concentration.
Application onion skins in soil. Onion peels are used in the spring when planting crops. It contains vitamins and minerals that promote plant development. A solution for watering the soil against wireworms is also prepared on its basis.
Using eggshells. In the garden, shells from raw eggs are used, which contain a maximum of useful substances. This product saturates the soil with calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Due to its ability to reduce soil acidity, eggshells are one of the methods for controlling wireworms.

Conclusion

Fighting wireworms involves using a whole range of methods. Many gardeners know: when I get rid of weeds, the number of pests on the site will decrease. With proper crop rotation and care of the beds, the number of insects is significantly reduced. Mineral substances, chemicals and folk remedies are no less effective against wireworms.

Wireworm in the garden: how to fight