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anytown U.S,A,

How deep do these collars have to be? To be effective in stopping them.

4/28/2013 1:54:17 PM

no such thing

heat soil with hoop. and flies hatch

4/28/2013 2:50:33 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

inch and a half

4/28/2013 3:12:32 PM

Duxbury,Ma.

for cut worms

4/28/2013 3:14:36 PM

Joliet, IL

If you treat your planting holes with diatomaceous earth, Bonide "Eight" which is pelletized bienefrithin (spelling) and systemic granular the day before transplant you will kill maggots in that area. Then take a 12" pot and cut bottom off and slit up one side. Push down into soil at least 4". Csm maggots will transverse laterally to the scent of a sprout in the top 2 to 3 inches of soil. Once they hit the collar they are trapped along the edge with insecticides to kill and diatomaceous earth to dehydrate them. Treat your planting holes at the bottom and incorporate above products at least 18 " wide and 8 to 10 inches deep. Many with cooler wet spring will not have theluxury to wait for them to hatch. Myself and Nana have been bitten by the bastards and have posted on past message boards this strategy. Take it for what it is worth. This is the best preventative steps I have done since getting hit 3 years ago. I have found no ill effects to my sprouts with this method and no csm damage.

4/28/2013 3:43:52 PM

Joliet, IL

Systemic granular merit that should have said.

4/28/2013 3:45:30 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Amen, Shazzy! If you're thinking tough ol' Shaz is in over-kill mode, you need to go to your patch to see your newly planted prise seedlings lying over...you wonder what could have happened. Then you slice the stem open to see dozens of these rice looking maggots. Totally no fun!
Any preventive measure you can add, you will be willing to do. So I'll put one more on his list: spray the planting hole with Garlic Barrier. This will not kill them, but will repel them.

4/28/2013 8:30:03 PM

Massillon, Ohio

It seems there is confusion about these critters. And maybe I'm the confused one! Some growers seem to think that once they see the flies hatch, that they are safe. But it is not the maggots that hatch into flies. The pupae that over-winter in the soil hatch into flies. The flies lay eggs in the soil, 2-3 days after emerging. The eggs hatch into maggots in 2-4 days, in temps as low as 50 degrees. They remain as maggots for about 2 weeks in the cool soil. This is when they can get the seedlings.

Someone tell me if I've gone astray in my thinking.

4/28/2013 9:00:06 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Don, 2 questions:

1) If the flies hatch, don't they have to be sprayed before they get a chance to lay eggs? Or drench about 4 days later, to get the newly hatched maggots?

2) If the maggots live in the top inch or 2 of the soil,
don't you think a 3-4" collar would keep any maggots from getting to the seedling? And the collar would have to be a size to go into the potting mix, and not the surrounding patch dirt, or you may have maggots inside the collar.

PS....Brooks hates the maggots too!!

4/28/2013 9:12:28 PM

Upa Creek, MO

M soil was 85 degrees in my house (germination pot) and they still destroyed my 921 seedling.

4/28/2013 9:51:49 PM

Joliet, IL

You are correct Nana on development. I think the best way to say it is you are trying to hit a window into their cycles and try not to give them what they like. Cold wet soil. And use your wits to stop them. The year I lost 5 out 6 plants had at least 15 to 20 inside the base an inch below soil. So no way a fly laid an egg at base of plant and hatch into rice size maggot in one day.
The maggots were already feeding on organic material then smelled the scent . They can detect a sprout 10 feet away and instinctivly go for the gold....or in this case easily soft nutricious seedlings where the roots meat the stalk. Less non broken down vegetation and warming soil are best natural ways fro which I have read to suppress possibility of infestations.

In my case once bitten twice shy. Lost an 1161 the day after transplant. Tough way to start a year

4/28/2013 10:04:15 PM

Mass

killing me in a couple houses that the coils werent on because of tripped GFI that i did not notice. Lost my (2) 1509.5 Sweets replanted with two other back ups, got them one day later, lost a 993 Vincent Squash in another house.. All the houses that coils have been on for two weeks seem to be fine. Drenched everything with Bayer Tree and Shrub, like last year.. should have done it right away.. More back ups being started again.

4/29/2013 8:35:39 PM

Ohio

I sure do hate em Nana!! LoL!

4/29/2013 10:54:07 PM