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Vegetable Gardening

Tiny white worms

15 years ago

I was out weeding my garden today, and I noticed, in different places, tiny white worms crawling around on the ground. They're about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch long and white, maybe 1/8 of an inch thick. They don't look like a grub. I think of grubs as being fatter in the middle. These were the same thickness all along their length.

This sound familiar to anyone? Something I should worry about? I only saw three.

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Comments (5)

anney
15 years ago
If you have compost in that soil, they're quite probably harmless and are just finishing converting it to humus. There was a post on this forum a couple of months ago about similar "bug" concerns. The link at the bottom has a discussion on another forum about the benefits of "grubs" in your soil/compost.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grubs in compost/soil
jean001
15 years ago
Pehrhaps enchytrids, also called white wworms and pot worms. (Google prefers the spelling enchytraeids.)

If so, not a problem.
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Nope, they are more elongated/oval like and white vs. translucent. Its not in peat pellet, but from this composted pile that had tons and tons of worms, insects, etc. inside it. The plants all look super healthy and its weird that either a) I have never noticed it or b) it started just as I put them on the balcony to harden off. However, as I was looking at one of them again, I noticed this in the pot. I'm not sure if its a bigger version, but I doubt it, because it looks completely different (looks like seashell, near the stem):
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Thanks Irisgal - I saw your answer, but not your question! They were planted in the ground, but I hadn't changed the potting soil. Most the rhizomes were visible.
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dangould
15 years ago
nematode

could this be what you saw.

Here is a link that might be useful: nematode
lilacs_of_may
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm seeing a lot more of these little guys. One was on a sunflower leaf. I'm wondering if these are flea beetle larvae? I've had trouble with flea beetles in the past but not yet this year.

I've also noticed that some of the lettuce and spinach in that bed looks a bit chewed on. Not classic flea beetle damage, but I wonder if these grubs/worms/larvae are to blame.

I think it's time to break out the Pyola.
jean001
15 years ago
Can you post a photo? That might help us to stop with the guesses.

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