Every gardener who has discovered wireworms on their plot knows that this pest can turn dreams of a rich harvest into a nightmare.
The underground larvae of click beetles quietly attack potato tubers, gnaw through the roots of young plants and hide in the soil for years, making traditional control methods powerless.
But there are ways that will make this enemy run away from your garden without the right to return.
Wireworms are the larval stage of click beetles that lay eggs in the upper layers of soil.
Adults, reaching 20 mm in length, are distinguished by their dark coloring - from brown to almost black.
The beetles themselves feed on the leaves of cereals, but their offspring, living in the ground for up to five years, pose a real threat. The larvae make passages in root crops, weakening the plants and making them vulnerable to diseases.
It is difficult to detect them: the wireworm migrates deep into the soil at the slightest danger, leaving behind only spoiled plants.
The secret to defeating the pest lies in a combination of natural tricks and modern means.
Start with allied plants. Mustard, planted in the fall and plowed in the spring, releases substances that wireworms hate. Its bitter roots create unbearable conditions for the larvae, forcing them to leave the area.
Place bean beds next to the potatoes - peas or beans will not only enrich the soil with nitrogen, but also repel the pest. Dahlias planted around the perimeter will become a living barrier: their roots suppress the growth of couch grass, which attracts wireworms.
Don't ignore the power of simple traps. Two weeks before planting potatoes, bury pieces of carrots or beets in the ground, marking the places with sticks. After a few days, dig up the baits along with the larvae that have gathered on them and destroy them. Another trick is jars with sawdust soaked in the insecticide "Zemlin". They are placed in the ground so that the beetles and larvae, crawling inside, die.
Chemistry is the last but powerful argument. Treat superphosphate granules with Taboo or Prestige and scatter them over the area.
Don't forget about prevention. Wireworms love acidic soils - sprinkle wood ash or dolomite flour to normalize the pH. Deep digging in the fall will bring the larvae to the surface, where they will be pecked by birds.
And crop rotation with crops that wireworms cannot stand (for example, buckwheat or rapeseed) will disrupt its life cycle.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya