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Old October 4, 2017   #13
bower
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
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I'm reading that soil temperature is really key to interventions - the optimal temperature that they like is between 50-60 F. In our climate, they'll be soon going deep for the winter- as deep as 2 ft, so I'd better do my prep soon. (Higher soil surface temps will drive them deeper too).

Tilling attracts them to the surface because of the release of CO2 from the soil. Then supposedly they are vulnerable to bird predators and to dessication - if they get caught out on a cold night. A bit iffy.

But if you tilled when your soil temperature is right and give them a day to come to the surface after the CO2, then apply your nematodes in the optimal band of soil, that would probably maximize your chance of success. I suppose the supplier gives instructions that relate to wireworm's soil depth habits.

I have carrots still growing in the main bed where I mean to plant garlic in a few weeks. So far I haven't seen any sign of wireworm damage there, so perhaps they aren't in that area. I hope! And I have beets in one of the other beds for rotation, so if they're present I guess I'll know about it soon enough.
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