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Author Topic: Worms in me sprouts!  (Read 4224 times)

judee

  • Joined Sep 2010
Worms in me sprouts!
« on: November 01, 2011, 08:37:27 pm »
We have a bit of a problem with worms in our sprouts (Brussels) and I wondered if anyone else has heard of this? I think they are Tiger Worms , which I believe are very good for the soil. We have made wonderful compost and smothered our raised beds with it...BUT...our potatoes were plentiful and useless (full of Tiger Worms).We read up on this and realised that we should not have planted potatoes, now our Brussel Sprouts have them inside! Does anyone know how to rid us of our plague? :'(

Plantoid

  • Joined May 2011
  • Yorkshireman on a hill in wet South Wales
Re: Worms in me sprouts!
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2011, 09:41:29 pm »
We have a bit of a problem with worms in our sprouts (Brussels) and I wondered if anyone else has heard of this? I think they are Tiger Worms , which I believe are very good for the soil. We have made wonderful compost and smothered our raised beds with it...BUT...our potatoes were plentiful and useless (full of Tiger Worms).We read up on this and realised that we should not have planted potatoes, now our Brussel Sprouts have them inside! Does anyone know how to rid us of our plague? :'(

Hmm  look on the bright side ...
. All in one meat and veg ..  saves you from getting too many dirty dishes.  ;) 

It sounds like the soil and area is so wet the worms have a very moist path up the sprout stems ... I wonder if the powdered pummice slug deterrent that is available would help if you thickly spread it around the stems to make a barrier for next years crop.

 WRT this years crop ..
.Even if you found a spray to kill the worms in your sprouts the dead worm will like as not still be inside the sprout , same with a decent spell of frost .

If you are not into organic stuff .... if you have sprout plants  that don't have sprouts on them try using a DIY  proprietry bug spray for caterpillars on the plants as protection & closely  ring the stems with powdered pummice bio friendly slug treatment .

Another thought has just entered my crust... treat all the plants with a proprietry bug spray and after a day of so slowly slice off the sprouts a few at a time each day working from the bottom of the plant up till all the plants are bald of old affected sprouts then wait for the new sprouts to form and re spray for good mesure as well as puting the ring of powdered pummice around the stems after the intial bug spray session .

 Done as above you may get sprouts in time for crimbo & should be able to have them well into March when you can eat the sprout tops as greens to finish the plant off before composting it.
International playboy & liar .
Man of the world not a country

Odin

  • Joined Oct 2011
  • Huddersfield
Re: Worms in me sprouts!
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2011, 04:13:27 am »
Tiger worms seem to be known as 'composting worms' because of their ability to devour rotting veg quicker than other types  of worm, however they are not regarded as being "good for the soil", other types are better for allowing air to the soil.
My thoughts are if the tiger worms have moved on to your growing veg plants, then that is because they have nothing else to eat ? Try putting a lair of mulch down on the ground to feed them. Buy a bail of hay or straw, get some fallen leaves and shread them and cover the ground. The traditional worms can concentrate on the soil and the tiger worms on the mulch.
People pay for them tiger worms, invite a fisherman round to collect em.
Also I think the a chemicle treatment will not distinguish between the worm varieties and could kill the lot and then you will be dealing with another issue.  :gloomy:
A man who cannot till the soil cannot till his own soul !
A son of the soil .

judee

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Worms in me sprouts!
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2011, 10:17:46 am »
Thanks for those replies. I hadn't heard of pumice but I will give it a go AND the idea of giving them something to work on ie leaves etc
I believe people pay for these things, boy they are a pest!
I have read that self raising flour blows them up, has anyone ever tried? I think I will.

Blonde

  • Joined Mar 2011
Re: Worms in me sprouts!
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2011, 01:30:44 pm »
We have a bit of a problem with worms in our sprouts (Brussels) and I wondered if anyone else has heard of this? I think they are Tiger Worms , which I believe are very good for the soil. We have made wonderful compost and smothered our raised beds with it...BUT...our potatoes were plentiful and useless (full of Tiger Worms).We read up on this and realised that we should not have planted potatoes, now our Brussel Sprouts have them inside! Does anyone know how to rid us of our plague? :'(

Hmm  look on the bright side ...
. All in one meat and veg ..  saves you from getting too many dirty dishes.  ;) 

It sounds like the soil and area is so wet the worms have a very moist path up the sprout stems ... I wonder if the powdered pummice slug deterrent that is available would help if you thickly spread it around the stems to make a barrier for next years crop.

 WRT this years crop ..
.Even if you found a spray to kill the worms in your sprouts the dead worm will like as not still be inside the sprout , same with a decent spell of frost .

If you are not into organic stuff .... if you have sprout plants  that don't have sprouts on them try using a DIY  proprietry bug spray for caterpillars on the plants as protection & closely  ring the stems with powdered pummice bio friendly slug treatment .

Another thought has just entered my crust... treat all the plants with a proprietry bug spray and after a day of so slowly slice off the sprouts a few at a time each day working from the bottom of the plant up till all the plants are bald of old affected sprouts then wait for the new sprouts to form and re spray for good mesure as well as puting the ring of powdered pummice around the stems after the intial bug spray session .

 Done as above you may get sprouts in time for crimbo & should be able to have them well into March when you can eat the sprout tops as greens to finish the plant off before composting it.
non-absorbent cotton wool wound around the base of the plant and fixed with a little vaseline can stop them from passing over the top.  Works with the orchid stems...hence they dont chew my flowers.   It must be non-absorbent as the absorbent fills with water and falls off the plant.    You might have to ring around for some or look on the internet.  Generally it is found in medicine bottles

 

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