small worm (?) in tree/shrub rootball - is this bad ?

[gingeroots]

I was repotting a pittisporum that I bought about 3 weeks ago and was loosening the roots very gently when I noticed a small worm like thing ,perhaps a little darker and more leathery than an eart worm .Tho at the time I didn't think much of it and just thought it was worm .

but it was quite embedded in the roots ,so not a worm ?

should I be worried ?

Well, it's very hard to say, without seeing a pic! Probably nothing to worry about, worms are everywhere in the soil.

Sorry .Mind you nan you and others on here are so on it ,I thought you all had crystal balls !

I've only just got a phone with a camera ( very cheap but I guess it will work ) so I may be moving into the realm of posting pics .

On another subject ,I wonder if I should have been less gentle and freed the roots more .But I can't see how one does that without breaking the roots .

There are loads of minibeasts that live in and around the roots of plants - not all of them bad by a long shot, so it's probably OK! I can't think of any obvious pest on pittosporums that would be around the roots...

Ah ,thank you !

Is it a wife worm?

LOL at autocorrect wire worm

Yes ,I think it was a wireworm ( thank you for posting a picture ! ).

I've googled and not got much info other than that they eat roots and there's not much one can do .

Any advice ?

Oooh, great spot kristina. Have to admit I don't know much about these little fellas - I associate them more with potatoes and open soil than pots. So everything I say here is fairly worthless, on the basis that I have no real knowledge!

RHS advice is that they will decline as you bring soil into cultivation, which makes me wonder whether you've already discouraged it by repotting:

www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=914

Harrod Horticultural reckon that March/April are critical times to turn the soil, so you might want to upend it again in spring and have a look around the roots?

www.harrodhorticultural.com/wireworm-control-pgid963.html

If the plant is looking reasonably sound and healthy, and you only saw one worm, then I wouldn't worry too much. However, if you start to have concerns, the site above says there are nematodes that you can use to control them.