Sweet Potato – Wireworm Damage

Q: Could you tell me what is eating on my sweet potatoes every year?

A: The creatures in question are millipedes but I think they are just enjoying the damage done originally by wireworms.

Wireworm control is difficult. One tip is to till your potato beds twice during the coldest part of winter (Jan – March). This will kill some of the larvae.

Another tip takes advantage of wireworms’ preference for carrots. A month after you plant your potato slips, buy a bag of big carrots at the grocery and bury one between each of your potato plants. Mark the burial spots and dig the carrots each week to examine for wireworms. They can be knocked off and killed and the carrots reburied again.