jul1799
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 9:34 pm
Location: Toronto

caterpillars in the raised beds?

Good Day,

We have got raised beds installed last year. We have filled it with triple mix and planted some veggies. I got radish and carrots. Not sure if some were eaten by worms last year. This year I got few carrots which came out by themselves in the spring. I had to dig them out . I found that carrots, while good size, had long "trenches". I am not sure what kind of caterpillar or other creatures left them behind. I am wondering what it could be and how I can treat soil to get rid of them. I am growing tomatoes and herbs on the same raised bed and trying to avoid chemicals.

I would appreciate advises/suggestions

thanks
jul

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Lindsaylew82
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Location: Upstate, SC

Can you give us a picture of the damage?

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

several things can cause this

carrot weevils:
Image

carrot flies:
Image

wireworms:
Image

jul1799
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 9:34 pm
Location: Toronto

I have only one small carrot with damage, as I throw away others before having idea to ask in forum. I need to resize picture and will post them shortly. In any way they would not be better then rainbow photos.
My carrots look like very first carrot from rainbow gardener.
How I can treat soil naturally to get rid of carrot weevils?

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Beneficial nematodes can help with that. I would not plant carrots again in the same spot because the pests are going to be waiting for them. Carrots can be grown in a deep container. I use muck buckets for some of my plants. Carrots like a fine sandy soil. I use MG potting soil, it works. Plant carrots and thin to 2 inches apart. Planting in a spiral in a round bucket works best.

You can put a screen over the top of the container and secure it with rope or twine, it helps to keep some of the insects out but will allow you to water and see the carrots. Carrots like cool weather less than 70 degrees and take about 70-80 days to harvest.

The other good thing about planting root crops in containers is that they are easier to find.

jul1799
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Posts: 45
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 9:34 pm
Location: Toronto

Beneficial nematodes... where I can get those?
thanks!

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

You need moles, they eat worms, bugs, grubs. Moles eat nothing growing in the garden. Moles will eat all those carrot worms.

If you know someone that has moles you can trap them to move to your garden. Here is a mole trap, it is a 1 quart glass jar in the bottom of the mole tunnel. Moles reuse their tunnels when a mole comes along it falls into the slippery glass jar and can not get out. Keep a small flat board over the top to keep the sun out, lift the board a few times every day to see if you caught a mole yet.

Image



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