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Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Its that time to get them in the ground. Way back when I lost my prized beauties a 1385 Jutras and a 1161 Radonis to corn seed maggots. They looked fine for a week then wilted and when I dug them up discovered my first experience with the maggots. If not for some backups my season would have been lost. I am not sure if they are in all areas of the country but in NE PA you have to deal with them especially in cool spring temps like this year. How does everyone deal with them and any other sad stories out there. Good luck all.. let the fun begin.

5/3/2018 11:35:57 AM

Colorado

Try triazide by spectrum.Seems to kill them off and doesn't hurt the seedling. I use it in dirt filled grow bags and later I pour some around the plant when it gets planted outside. If you've got high organic matter pumpkin soil youre gonna have corn seed maggots

5/3/2018 3:54:13 PM

Grittyville, WA

Soft control/management: Wait for good weather. Use larger seedlings. Plant a diversion... a trap crop.

5/3/2018 4:52:53 PM

Jericho Vermont

I always thought that soil temp plays a big part. If you can get your soil warm enough for long enough the grubs will turn to flies. I use soil heating cables as my soil started out at 39 degrees. I also use triazide and have had better luck with that then Merit this time of year.

5/3/2018 6:05:48 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I just did a search on this a month ago Ned. There still is nothing new that you can put in the soil to stop them. The only thing you can do is use soil heat cable. Get them in the ground a week or two before you plant so the ground heats up and the maggots turn to flys..

5/3/2018 7:16:19 PM

Western NY

get that soil cooking.

5/3/2018 10:37:54 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I agree with Colorado Joe. Spot insecticide drench works here. I will admit I don’t have the same pressure since my garden is typically warmer at the same time we set our plants out than you in the Northeast. Good luck

5/3/2018 11:02:23 PM

Syracuse, NY

maybe i'm lucky to have read this early-on, as i just got a whole bunch of only-6-months-old horse manure and also 4 honeywagon loads of probably one-year-old Alpaca manure on select patches of mine; from what i read, my own belief is that i should, and will, massively till my patches without (as much) regard for the worms as i had, although my lateness at getting my plants planted out may help me with respect to the potential flies' larvae in the soil being over and done (moreso) than if i had plants in the ground already. it all made sense as i read it, and i feel that by weekly exposing the little buggers and (by default) planting-out kinda late will both help me in the long run. if you do not yet have heating cables in the ground or have a circumstance anything like mine (just bare, tilled-only-to-initially-incorporate-the-manure soil), then, consider these musings. eg

5/4/2018 3:42:17 AM

New England

I used to have this problem. I tilled heavy and then put out my greenhouses and let it cook for a few days. when I planted the seedlings; I bought some granulated triazide and put it in the planting hole and around the plant. Never had a problem since.

5/4/2018 7:56:59 AM

Springfield, VT

I've found larger seedlings and liquid merit to the plants a few days before planting. Triazacide will also work as a contact. Warm temperatures will make the grubs turn into flies.

5/4/2018 8:15:22 AM

Central Illinois

You can also add Diatomaceous Earth to your soil

5/4/2018 8:28:45 AM

New Berlin, PA

I get my hoops up a couple of weeks before planting and keep them shut. I always get tons of little flies inside. Are these most likely the maggots/flies you guys are talking about? I've never had issues with transplants being eaten by maggots before.

5/4/2018 8:33:58 AM

Bethlehem CT

Set out big plants!

5/4/2018 8:56:10 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

I hit my baby seedlings with merit and safari while still indoors to help them uptake the insecticide and help them not get chewed on

5/4/2018 9:14:23 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

I get them too Dan. I put sticky fly paper in to catch the little turds. Also watered with insecticide so hopefully that will kill any maggots.

5/4/2018 11:21:18 PM

Honesdale Pa USA

Ned told me to drink beer, helped a lot.

5/7/2018 8:36:57 PM

valparaiso, in

Not sure if it helps, but I put a 2 liter bottle of pop around my plant. Cut the top and bottom off, and then cut it in half so I get two of them. I have not lost a plant since I started doing it. Once I take the houses off I just cut it length wise in a few spots then pull them up.

5/11/2018 12:05:56 PM

Syracuse, NY

so, it's like a little clear, circular barricade to insect pests?

5/11/2018 10:34:34 PM

valparaiso, in

Yes. Someone on here told me to do years ago after I lost a few plants to them. Has worked every year since.

5/14/2018 4:04:46 PM