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Q. Our pecan tree is probably 100 years old. Other trees in this area produce great crops, but our pecans have little white segmented worms. They also seem to rot before they ripen. Can you tell us what is wrong or how to improve the quality of the nuts?
- J. S., Chesapeake, VA
A. "There are two common pecan pests that fit the description -- the pecan weevil and the pecan shuckworm (also called hickory shuckworm). Your pecans may be infested by one or the other, or both. In any case, you can reduce the extent of the problem if you pick up and destroy fallen nuts at the end of the season, since that's where the shuckworm overwinters. It also helps to cultivate the soil under the tree to a depth of about 3 inches during late February or early March.
Weevils are more difficult to control. If it's practical, you can shake the adults from the tree. Place tarps under the branches and shake them to dislodge the feeding, breeding weevils, and destroy them. These pests overwinter in the soil at a depth of up to 12 inches, making cultivation impractical and likely to damage tree roots. Fortunately, weevil infestations tend to come in cycles, becoming a problem every two or three years."
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Q. When I harvest my carrots, radishes and turnips, I find that many of them have worm holes. What can I do?
- J. M., Meriden, CT
A. "Sometimes wireworms cause problems in root crops. Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles and their numbers are higher in areas that were recently covered with sod. When the eggs hatch the larvae feed on the underground parts of plants. Another pest, the carrot rust fly, lays its eggs on or near the crown of root crops. The larvae then bore into the roots of carrots, radishes and turnips to feed. Both pests can cause real damage.
Try planting your root crops in a different garden spot next year so they won't be victimized by pests that overwinter in the soil. Sometimes you can trap wireworms by placing pieces of cut potato in the soil near your crops. The potato will attract the worms and you can dig and dispose of the trap, placing fresh potato pieces in the soil every few weeks. You can foil the carrot rust fly adults by using a fabric row cover over your crops to keep the flies from laying their eggs on the crowns of the plants."
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Q. I have two cherry trees and in the past have had problems with worms in the cherries. The fruit is starting to ripen. If I inspect a handful of cherries and don't find any worms, can I be reasonably sure the rest will be worm-free? If I do find worms what should I do to keep from having this problem next year?
- T. B., Renton, WA
A. "The cherry fruit fly is responsible for worms (more precisely, maggots) in the fruit. The worms exit the fruit when they're mature (so you'll see exit holes). Then they pupate in the soil before becoming adults. When adults emerge, they lay eggs just beneath the skin of the developing cherries. The only way to tell for sure if your cherries have worms is to inspect each one, cutting it open or at least looking for holes in the skin.
These pests can remain in the soil for up to three years so practicing good garden sanitation is a giant step in keeping them under control. Rake and remove all fallen leaves and fruit at the end of the season to keep infested fruit away from the tree. If you place weed barrier over the soil beneath the tree and cover it with decorative bark, you will inhibit the worm's ability to pupate in the soil."
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Q. In late May or early June, when my garden peas are beginning to bear, small holes appear in each pea, along with very small worms. What are they, and how can I prevent them from sharing my pea crop?
- A. B., Meridian, ID
A. "Pea weevils are a small, brownish insects that overwinter as adults in protected areas, such as outbuildings, tree bark, or fence posts. When temperatures warm up the adults emerge and feed on pea blossoms, then lay eggs on young pods. The eggs hatch in 2 to 4 weeks, and larvae burrow into green seed.
To control them, plant as early as possible in the season, clean up all remnants of pea vines after they are finished bearing, and deeply cultivate the soil to expose overwintering eggs and weevils. Weevils can sometimes be controlled by actually shaking them off the plants. Put a cloth on the ground and shake the vines vigorously. Gather up and dispose of the weevils that fall on the cloth."
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Q. Our snap peas are about 6 inches tall. Today I found several cut off at ground level, like a little lumberjack came through. What happened?
- G. A., Brownstown, MI
A. It sounds like it could be cutworms at work. Where you see damage, dig around the plant base with your finger. Cutworms are often found in the top inch or two of soil. They are about 1/2 to 1 inch long, grayish-white, often slightly curled in a "c" shape. You can make protective collars to place around the plants. Just take an empty paper towel or toilet paper roll and cut the cardboard into 3-inch-long sections. Place it on the soil around the stem of your plants, burying the cardboard about one inch into the soil. Or wrap each stem with several layers of newspapers, again, extending the protection down an inch into the soil. This might be a little too labor intensive, especially if you have a lot of peas planted. BtK (Bacillus Thurengiensis var. kurstaki) is an organic control option that kills caterpillars such as cutworms. Be sure to ask for the granular form, and apply carefully as directed on the product label.
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Q. I am having trouble with nematode-infested soil. What can I do to get rid of them?
- C. E., Frankston, TX
A. "Pest nematodes are very difficult to get rid of. (Don't confuse these with the beneficial nematodes you can buy to help control grubs, among other pests.) The best solution is to grow types of vegetable and flowers that are not affected by nematodes in the soil where the nematodes have been found to be a problem. If you have another area to plant a garden, that may be a place to try to grow plants that are attacked by nematodes.
You can also grow plants that have been shown to reduce the number of nematodes in the soil. In the fall, plant 'Elbon' cereal rye and allow it to grow over the winter. Then plow it under in the spring. Nematodes enter the roots of this tall grass-type plant and cannot survive. Follow this during the warm season with a solid (not just a few plants) planting of French marigolds throughout the garden area as marigolds are another nematode 'trap crop.' These plants will not kill all the nematodes, but will reduce their numbers significantly.
Finally, rototill the soil in the dry, hot days of summer and allow the surface to totally dry out for a week or so. This will kill nematodes in the upper dry layer. Repeat the rototilling and drying steps several times if possible to destroy even more nematodes.
Good luck!"
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Q. I'm a novice gardener, and I have what appear to be grubs (chubby white worms) in my soil. My question is twofold. First, I'm worried that they are feasting on my perennial bulbs and plants. What do they eat? Secondly, if they are causing harm, what should I put in the soil to get rid of them, without contaminating my soil with chemicals?
- M. P., Erie, PA
A. "Grubs do feed on the roots of plants, and can cause significant damage to lawns if their population is large. A small grub population, however, is not something to worry about too much, although the beetles they turn into later may become a nuisance as they feed on plant foliage and flowers. Take an inventory of the population. In several areas of the lawn, peel back a square foot of sod and count how many of the C-shaped grubs you find. Do this in a few areas in your flowerbeds as well. If there are more than 5 or 6 grubs per square foot you may want to do something to reduce their numbers. Beneficial nematodes are an effective and safe control."
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Q. I'm confused about whether nematodes are good or bad. I read about using them to control Japanese beetle grubs, but then I read about how planting marigolds deters them.
- J. S., Bluffton, SC
A. "There are about 12,000 species of nematodes -- microscopic, un-segmented worms -- some of which are pests to gardeners, others of which are allies.
Pests include root-knot nematodes, which enter plant roots and stems. The presence of developing nematodes in the root stimulates the surrounding tissues to enlarge and produce the galls, which, in turn, interfere with the plant's uptake of water and nutrients. Mature female nematodes then lay hundreds of eggs on the root surface and these eggs hatch in warm soil to continue the life cycle.
To control root-knot nematodes, dig up the roots of affected plants and destroy. This removes a large proportion of the nematodes which would otherwise carry over until the following season. Also, research has shown that French marigold (Tagetes patula) are resistant to root-knot nematode because their roots secrete nematicidal chemicals. This phenomenon can be utilized for nematode control by dividing a vegetable garden into strips or blocks and planting marigolds in some part of the garden each year. Plant the marigolds closely so they develop complete coverage, then till them in at the end of the season. For long-term control of nematodes, the best approach is incorporating lots of organic matter in the soil, to encourage beneficial organisms.
Beneficial nematodes attack pest insects and don't harm plants, and they are harmless to earthworms, too. They are used to control a number of different soil pests. For best results, follow the application instructions carefully."
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Q. Last summer, each cucumber fruit on my vines was infested with a wormy insect larvae that burrowed into the fruit. The larvae were up to 1 inch long and pale green. They seem to have come in from a small hole on the outside of the fruit. What were they and how do I control them organically?
- L. U., Athens, GA
A. "Your cucumbers were most likely attacked by the pickleworm. The pickleworm larva is yellow-green with numerous black spots. They bore into the side of fruits before the rind hardens and tunnel inside leaving masses of soft excrement. The fruit then rots or sours.
Sprays containing the biological control Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium that attacks only caterpillars), applied on a 5 to 7 day schedule beginning when fruits start reaching a couple of inches long, are an organic choice for controlling pickleworm."
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