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Ohio

Since I had a bad experience last year I had been checking my plants everyday for them nasty seed corn maggots and ended up finding that my 1413 plant had them, I would have bet the house it was doomed and just about pulled the plant. So I started another 1413 plant. On further inspection of the 1413's stem I found 2 maggots half in and half out of the base of the stem that I ended up using tweezers to pull them out, the maggots was already dead. I also found one near the root system laying that was already dead also.
So something did worked here, and the only thing I can think of that killed them was Grub X that I put down 3 days before the plant went into the ground, or the light spraying of merit. I also didnt cover my stem with dirt to the cot leaves this year.

Another thing I have found is the only plant that had the maggots is the one I had put old compost/manure down in March, and I also didnt use the 100 wt light bulb but very little on this plant at night. All my other plants I used the lights for extra warmth every night. I also only put down my compost/manure down in the fall, and adding none in the spring for my final patch prep.

My 1413 that had the maggots is one of my best growers right now, its growing to beat the band!!
The other 1413 that I started after the 6th because I thought the other plant was toast, is also a hell of a plant so far, that grows like hell as a seedling, its already passed plants that I started the end of April.

Maybe this was ment to be, having two 1413 plants growing now, (along with my three 985 Werners) we will see!

5/16/2009 5:09:38 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

How long do these maggots live in the soil until their chain of life has them moving on?

5/16/2009 1:36:27 PM

[email protected]

The ones I put into your soil will last about 10 years or so... I figure by then I will have hit a thousand pounder and you can resume growing after that...

5/16/2009 2:03:21 PM

Ohio

LOL!! ROCK!
I'm no expert on these nasty critters but I think once the soil warms up to a certain degree (which I'm not sure what that is) the threat of getting them is over.
What I have found in my own experience so far with them is that cold soil temps mixed in with older OR newer compost /manure attracts them. And anytime I have used over head lighting as a heat source (100wt light bulbs) I have never had a problem with them killing my plants.
Also, one new thing I did try this year was Grub X, thanks to Alan Gibson for that tip because I think that is what probably saved my plant.

From what I have seen so far on bp.com this year, any one that used soil cables to heat the soil or had over head lights as a source of heat in the hoops, didn't run into problems with them.

Did anyone get these maggots while using underground soil cables as heat or over head lights as a heating source?

5/16/2009 2:58:47 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

I have hoops with and without the soil cables. The one without the soil cable got hit. If you put your hoops out 2 weeks before planting with a heat source, you will force them to hatch or move them to a wetter / colder location. Do you ever notice all of the flies in the hoops a day or so after you put the hoops out? It is all of the maggots hatching.

5/16/2009 3:46:46 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Brooks, Sorry to hear they found you again this year.
I have lost 6 seedlings. Better not be any more, 'cause I'm fresh out of backups. Of course I could sneak over & dig up Christy's 998!

Ned, the maggots live 21 days. Here is a link to University of Kentucky's Extension Service on the life cycle. www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef309.asp

5/16/2009 5:13:41 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I lost one plant that had under ground heat tape, plus a heater inside that farmers use to heat there milk houses during the winter. All my plants died in my old pumpkin patch. The only two plants left are in my new patch. Which is very close to the corn field that was covered heavy with fresh liquid manure a few weeks ago. Both the old and new patch had a cover crop of winter rye.

5/16/2009 6:04:28 PM

[email protected]

Great data collecting & reporting here. I'd love to see some trials of repellents such as garlic.

In pro pest control PCO companies always had a love/hate relationship with Dursban. What didn't die would run away screaming. This proved bothersome to more than a few restaurant owners. For our purposes either solution is acceptable if the patient lives.

Whether natural, botanical or synthetic chemical we need a means to kill or repel the maggots long enough for their primary host to debut. Maybe it's time to experiment with early corn (also planted indoors) as a sacrificial companion.

5/16/2009 6:48:11 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I think next spring Tremor I'm going to try a heavy dose of my own garlic juice. Mixed with two or three ground up hot peppers and see id this does any good. it never hurts to try something new. Garlic spray is becoming a good use for many things. Do a web search and see the great results for garlic.

5/16/2009 6:55:38 PM

Ohio

PumpkinBrat, sorry about your bad luck this year, I definitely know the feeling for sure from last year.
This year I been lucky so far , haven't lost one plant to them, (knock on wood). I tried a few different things this year and it seemed to have worked for me, but then again luck could have played a big roll also.
But I agree with Tremor, there does need to be more research on these maggots . Seems like the past 3 years they have really hit growers hard, but then again maybe they haven't been getting worse over the years but just more noticable now since more growers are growing.
But there has got to be a silver bullet out there somewhere that prevents them from killing some many growers seedlings.

5/16/2009 9:12:02 PM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

Wow there appears to be a lot of people getting nailed by this bugger this year! I have also found them in my patch eating corn seed but have not had any troubles yet with the pumpkins. For the sake of data reporting, I have never found these things in my patch before ever, but last fall I added a yard of manure in my patch area which I suspect is where they came from. The maggots were eating the corn seed in cool moist soil conditions. I am using heating cables and hoops this year for both pumpkin plants. I also noticed large amounts of flies in the hoops while I was warming up the area before planting. Now I'm beginning to think that soil cables may have to become a need every year to cook the maggots out of the soil!

5/17/2009 2:35:23 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

There is no corn in site of my patch and I did not add any manure this year. My soil does have a high organic matter reading and I did use a cover crop of winter rye. A friend of mine has some diazinon ? Do I do a soil drench with the stuff and what should the application rate be. Thanks for nothing Rocky! It may take you 10 years to get that 1000 pounder and that would be if you added all of your pumpkin weights together for the next ten years. Sorry you were able to pull your stapled finger off of the cold frame long enough to type the disturbing post above.

5/17/2009 9:02:26 AM

Ohio

Ned, maybe Rocky's soil cable heaters was a good thing for him this year?,,,lol

5/17/2009 3:19:46 PM

[email protected]

The coils from Toms store (extreme pumpkins) say on them "corn seed maggot free".. Gotta read the fine print people.. Ned probably bought his at Kmart. I think he didnt want to dip into his beer drinkin money to spend the extra dollar for maggot free cables..

5/18/2009 12:57:17 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

That is the first correct thing Rocky has said in many many moons. Who would want to dip into their beer money to buy soil heating cables. Jeesh! Get a life. I have confirmation that the maggots were delivered into my patch from the Sayre Area. SOOOOOOOOO I am thinking of a new name for Mr. Rockwell who will stop at nothing. Just ask Upper Pine Runner. Rocky saw a little competition closer to home and he gets the Corn Seed Maggot. How convenient. I remember a song that my twins played when they were little. "Do you know the maggot man, the maggot man, the maggot man, do you know the maggot man who lives on Roosevelt lane" Don't worry maggot man it will take more than a grub for you to beat me this year. I will be starting more backup plants within the next few weeks when danger of them has passed.

5/18/2009 4:41:36 PM