[bigsprouts]

hi all and happy new year to one and all last season all my main crop spuds had tiny holes in about 2mm dia when we cut the potato open it had a small creature in it that looked like a large ant any ideas any body as cant find much in the books some one did say he thought they were cut worms any ideas how to combat this it only effected the main crop these were cara early and 2nd early were un touched :?:

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds like wireworm to me.

http://www.gardeners.com/wireworm-control/default/5311.page

[Fenland Girl]

Yep, I'd say wireworm. I have the same problem in that only maincrop seem to be affected. Apparently it is more of a problem on land that has recently come into cultivation, i.e. used to be grassland, which mine did. I don't know if you can get any resistant varieties, but I'm (hopefully) sidestepping the problem by only growing earlies this year! Incidentally, I did use some of my holey spuds, just cut out the bad bits then froze the good chunks!

[bigsprouts]

They were planted in ground which has been worked for over fifty years

[bigsprouts]

apparently these work nematode Heterorhabditis megadis  but does any body know where to buy them from?

[richyrich7]

apparently these work nematode Heterorhabditis megadis  but does any body know where to buy them from?

Have you tried http://www.defenders.co.uk/ ?

[SkipRat]

I dont usually grow MC spuds as we get a lot of wire worm and slug damage here. But this year I,m going to trial "Goldenwonder" as they are said to have a very tough thick skin compared to a lot of other potatoes.
Will let you all know of the results when they are harvested.

[Aunt Sally]

Some varieties of potato are more resistant to wireworm.  I grew a fairly resistant second early last year called Lady Balfour, It was very successful.

[sparky]

Sounds like wireworm to me.

http://www.gardeners.com/wireworm-control/default/5311.page

Good link Aunty


Saw a few when I dug over our new allotment which was overgrown for a couple of years. would me digging it over reduce the numbers or are chemicals the only way to go?

[gobs]

If you saw a few, you would like to double dig.

Else, it's chemicals, I don't know much about.

[gobs]

Sow mustard and dig it in.  The plentiful food supply means they all hatch out and b*gger off to find grassland somewhere else.

Well, they seem to spend 3-4 years as larvae in the soil, so can't see how they gonna b***er off, also, recently read an article on an experiment about mustard, etc used for fertilising ground, marginal difference it showed close to nothing.

[WG.]

Sow mustard and dig it in.  The plentiful food supply means they all hatch out and b*gger off to find grassland somewhere else.

Well, they seem to spend 3-4 years as larvae in the soil, so can't see how they gonna b***er off, also, recently read an article on an experiment about mustard, etc used for fertilising ground, marginal difference it showed close to nothing.

See http://www.cotswoldseeds.co.uk/summerGM.htm : Mustard is a rapid growing cover that is not winter hardy. It is easily established and used to mop up nitrogen, suppress weeds and reduce wireworm populations.

Or http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_51&products_id=393  : Sow March - September. Broadcast fairly thickly; dig in at or before flowering. Very fast growing. May help to control wireworms, which are fond of the decomposing plants and eat enough to reach adulthood in a single season, then fly away to find grassland in which to lay their eggs.

   

I also doubt the fertilising value of green manure (brown is easier) but I was answering from the point of view of wireworm control.

[gobs]

That's what I read and I do not claim that it's the undoubted truth. :roll:

LINK

[WG.]

That's what I read and I do not claim that it's the undoubted truth. :roll:

LINK

A very minor effect in their trial then.  Thanks - why don't you post this link on the wysiwyggy Potato pests thread please.

Seems I can no longer take the word of my guru, Lawrence Hills, at face value then.  

[Aunt Sally]

3-4 years is right gobs.  Getting a bit bigger each year giving bigger holes in the potato,  Good crop rotation should reduce the population.