Wireworms are eating my root vegetables. Is there anything that will control them?
Question:
Wireworms are eating my root vegetables. Is there anything that will control them?
Answer:
Unfortunately, there aren’t any effective treatments after planting and establishment of the pest, and the best controls are preparing the soil properly and siting the plants appropriately. Please refer to these resources for in-depth information:
UWisc Coop Extension page on wireworms
Penn State Univ Coop Extension page on wireworms
Utah State Univ Coop Extension page on wireworms
As you will see in the Utah State resource, most pesticides affecting wireworms are rated only for agricultural use and aren’t intended for homeowners. The consensus advice is to make sure your soil is well-drained next season, sift the soil to look for wireworm larvae, plant later in the season so they have less time to feed on immature plants, and practice crop rotation with plants that do not host the pest (e.g., onions, cucurbits, brassicas). You might even want to let the bed go fallow with a cover crop for a year if your outbreak is severe.
I’m sorry not to have more cheerful advice for you, but wish you happy gardening, nonetheless.