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Upa Creek, MO

Can anyone tell me what they specifically do up to a week before at their planting site? I am putting my plants in late this week, and know there is corn seed maggots in the ground. I really don't recall doing much years before except use a spot insecticide once they were transplanted and never had issues. I already lost 2 plants early on to maggots in the germination pots from using outside soil.

Thanks, just trying to avoid disaster until at least June this year.

4/21/2013 8:20:50 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

All I can say is - You guys in the states are lucky to be able to purchase some of the chemicals that we used to be able to use (legally) So my advice is use them!!!! and count your blessings!!!

4/21/2013 8:31:23 PM

Upa Creek, MO

I am Joe, but don't want to use too much so the soil stays healthy. I thought I recall some people heating the soil up with clear plastic paper, using barriers etc. I am also asking for early on disease prevention too.

4/21/2013 8:53:13 PM

Ohio

Luke, I have had them nasty plant destroying maggots before also , it seems to me when I have had them before is when I would set my seedling out in a wet colder soil.

I dont know about anyone else, but I have never ( knock on wood) lost a plant to maggots when I would have my hoop house's set out 3 or 4 days before I plant my seedlings inside and also had a 100wt light bulb on at night time .

Shazzy and I think also Shannon put up some really good post on here a couple yeas ago about wet colder soil temps and organic matter that is still breaking down in the soil is the environment maggots thrive on the best.

4/22/2013 5:07:28 AM

Corryton, TN

I used some Eliminator Ant Flee and Tick killer on some fire ant mounds this weekend, from Wal-Mart. Noticed it was labeled for seed corn maggots in garden use. It's bifenthrin but I HAVE NOT used it for the garden or AG's in this manner. You have to make that call.

4/22/2013 5:37:12 AM

Jacksonville, IL

Shazzy lost plants to maggots in recent years and I believe had a solution to prevent damage when transplanting into the garden. Jeff may be able to make some recommendations on ways to prevent damage or loss of plants.

4/22/2013 9:57:03 AM

Hampstead, NC 28443

I use grub x granular and water it in every day for a week ahead of planting. I also put it in the planting hole. The other key is to get your soil temp up to hatch them out. If you can get it above 70 or so for a week to 14 days, they will hatch out. Try these things, they seem to work for me.

4/22/2013 11:31:44 AM

Springfield, VT

There is a couple of ways dealing with the pest, warming the soil to have them complete their life cycle. The other is a contact pesticide such as triazicide (Gamma-cyhalothrin or Lambda-cyhalothrin) when planted in the ground. Merit doesn't appear to affect them at all or works after they have eaten into the plant stems. Also the stems of the plant should not be buried since it allows entry of the grubs into the stem which will kill the plant after they hollow it out. Otherwise they just eat at the root mass below grade which usually is not fatal to the plant

4/22/2013 11:48:11 AM

Upa Creek, MO

All great info, thank you. I have also spotted a few different unidentifiable fat grubs (UFG's) not knowing if they are harmful or not. Probably vine borers. Along with the above measures, does anyone add for disease prevention? I have added Actinovate in the past and not had issues with root disease, but I seem to learn by trial and error each year.

4/22/2013 12:22:23 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

What about waiting until your plants are larger before transplanting them into the patch? The only time I've lost a plant to maggots was when they were small, after they have 3 or 4 true leaves I've never lost one but maybe that's a coincidence?

4/22/2013 1:08:37 PM

BC, Canada

Luke
Some good advice here.

Here on the coast we don't have corn maggots, but, we do have others. My worst for damaging roots is wire worms, click beetle larvae.
One of my favorites controls is after I till I turn the hens lose on the patch for a day or two, they love bugs. This hen action doesn't eliminate but does reduce the number of bugs, and there is a bonus fertilizer.
A turning over of the soil during winter to let a freeze kill some over wintering bugs in the top layer of the soil can help, but has downsides otherwise (cover crops).
Another non-chemical method is to plant a trap crop of a plant that the particular bug likes around the edge of the patch to attract the bugs away from your crop. Wire worms like grass roots so I have grass at the sides of my veggie patches. Over a few years this has about eliminated the larvae damage to my root crops. I also lay flat boards on the grass in early spring once we have some warm sun and the newly hatched beetles will congregate under the boards. I just turn the boards over when going past and have a little beetle stomp. I kill hundreds this way, gets the slugs also.
Also, traps set in the ground are a bit of work but can be very effective. A used yogurt container or the like with lid on and some holes (1/16" - 1/8") drill around near the top. This is then set in the ground below the surface with an appropriate piece of bait inside (potato, carrot etc). The depth below surface would depend on the varmint you are trying to catch. I have found that keeping the soil by the trap moist seems to help.
I also have found that Diatomaceous Earth or rock dust thrown on near the base of the plants can be very effective insect control. Rock dust is amazing! We have a problem with flea beetle eating lots of holes in the leaves and this seems to stop them almost immediately.
If that don't work, Nuke em.
Hope some of this might help, good luck,

4/22/2013 2:16:35 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

You guys have all lost it...Merit is not killing seed corn maggots only a contact will work..
If you don't want a contact they will eat the roots those new roots that grow into bigger roots.

4/22/2013 2:45:23 PM

Upa Creek, MO

PJ, I usually wait at least 10 days after germination before I set them out. The seedlings that went down were on my dining room table (used some outside soil in germ pot).

Cavity, thanks for the post. I'll check that rock dust out.

Linus was right about Merrit. That's why I lost the seedlings since I didn't have a contact the night I spotted the first maggot. I treated with Merrit and they just kept eating, and unfortunately they died later when it was too late. I guess it's like when we eat a bad bowl of chili - it might taste good at the time, but there will be consequences to pay later!

4/22/2013 3:14:01 PM

BC, Canada

http://cesantabarbara.ucanr.edu/files/75292.pdf
Always interested to learn something new. The corn maggot is just something I never had to deal with so I did a web search and a little reading. Posted a link above that gives what sounds like some useful cultivation practices.

4/22/2013 8:51:15 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Thanks!

4/22/2013 9:30:39 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I'm so glad I just plant them in the patch and hope for the best,,,,,,, makes it so much easier.


Go Luke!

4/22/2013 9:50:51 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I have had corn maggots in the past. They can whip your plants out over night. In all the searching on the internet I have never found anything that works. Many of us knew Tremor and he would tell you what would and what wouldn't work for just about anything dealing with growing pumpkins. The only way you can control corn maggots is to get your greenhouses up a couple weeks before planting and put some kind of heat in it. This year being cold as it is, put up a heat lamp in each small greenhouse and leave it on, day and night. A plain 100w light bulb won't work.

4/23/2013 12:01:07 AM

Ohio

A 100 watt lightbulb will work, been using them for 10 years now, you ever feel the heat off a 100 watt lightbulb?

5/2/2013 10:39:08 PM