Damage may occur if mint is to be planted in fields with a previous history of wireworm injury or in noncrop or fallow land. Fields that have been fallowed for several years or planted in potatoes, cereals, or sugarbeets should be sampled before planting mint. Using mint roots free of insects to establish new fields is of utmost importance. If mint is to be planted in fields with a previous history of wireworm injury, growers should consider treating the field with Dyfonate or fumigating the soil prior to planting mint. C-17 at the rates recommended on the label.
Fumigation is expensive and therefore usually used to control multiple pests.
If Dyfonate is used, do not apply Sinbar until at least 3 weeks after the Dyfonate application. Fields with a previous history of wireworms may be fallowed and frequently cultivated to kill weed hosts for 1 year prior to planting mint, but, since wireworms may take up to 3 years to complete development, some wireworm larvae may remain in the field even after 1 year of fallow.