1/4 in. long white worm eating root of container plants

These worms are coming out of the ground and up through the container water holes and eating the roots and killing the plants...there are millions of them.....Anyone know what they are and how to get rid of them. They are definitely not good worms.

The easiest way to ID the worms is with a picture of them. Barring that, call your local County Co-op Agent .. they should be able to quickly answer you questions for ID and eradication.

http://localbusiness.tuscaloosanews.com/elkmont+al/alabama+cooperative+extension.zq.html

Are you sure they are worms and not grubs?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1708&bih=749&q=grubs&oq=grubs&gs_l=img.12..0l10.3024.4906.0.8728.5.5.0.0.0.0.234.688.2j2j1.5.0...0.0...1ac.1.17.img.gb7Jy_4IhfI

If it is flowers, not edible plants, then you can drench the soil with pesticide. You want to treat the area around the containers, too, as that is sort of a reserve population of pests that may move in when the pesticide breaks down.

If it is vegetables you may want some alternative treatment, and it it better to know what the pests actually are to target their life style for the best control.
Here are a couple of general ideas:
They are plant-eating pests, so bait with something that is plant based.
Many pests go away from the plant in the heat of the day, so try some rolled up newspaper near the containers. Throw it away each evening before the pests leave the paper.
If you find out what the adult bugs are you may be able to bait with something that targets them, so there are fewer adults to lay eggs.
Many animals are good predators:
Toads and birds are obvious.
There are nematodes that are parasites on insects, especially the life phase of pests that live in the soil. You could get some of these and water the soil around the containers and in the containers to apply these beneficial nematodes.
Many pests can die when they are attacked by the right bacteria. You sure need to know the ID of the pest before you can decide which bacteria is right!

White 'worms' might be the larvae of beetles, flies or other insects.

you know I thought that they would be a larvae of something....but they have never changed into anything else....weird huh/

Termites!!?

kit’,
I have more time now than I did awhile ago; I wanted to go to the garden and gather the goods before the true heat hit.

Termites are not a worm, but a cursory look can be misleading. I have seen subterranean termites infest potted plants through the drain hole. They like moisture and heat and potting soil for food. They don’t eat live wood, I think.
If it is termites, setting infested pots on such as thick-mill Visqueen will solve the problem (and it probably will if it’s not termites, but it might create others as so often is the case) anything to form a barrier. Elevating the pot a few inches on bricks or cinder blocks e.g., will also work; they don’t like the light of day.

If you have chickens turn them to them and listen to the appreciative fowl sounds as they tuck in.

Be aware of keeping them away from your dwelling if it is made of wood. A very bad practice, as I see it, is mulching near your house with any pine-based product. Add a sprinkler system or a dutiful water boygirl and you have created termite heaven only a short tunnel away from your shelter.

I had a pest control agent come by and look at the worms , he says that they aren't termites. They are eating the roots systems, also. I added nematodes to the pots and all the yard around my containers covered about 75 sq ft ..put out one spraying waited about 2 weeks then put out another spraying.
Something seems to be workng because my plants have actually started to grow. My roses grew 12/14 in. in one week...
I also used pyrethrin on the pots ans areas around them.
Thanks for your help. Any other ideas please let me know.