Nematodes?

[Karen Atkinson]

Has anyone any idea where I can buy nematodes to eat pests? Are there differrent ones for different pests and how do I go about using them?

[Karen Atkinson]

[saddad]

Chase organics catalogue is a good starting point
basically you water them in when the soil is damp...  :-X

[Trevor_D]

But warm! It's a tad early yet.

[grawrc]

Yes there are different sorts for different pests and they are relatively expensive but effective. Too early yet as Trevor says. You could have a look at www.greengardener.co.uk

[Karen Atkinson]

Thankyou people - will check out wbsite

[goodlife]

There is also
http://www.defenders.co.uk/

Code Select Expand

http://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=61&osCsid=f8a80eb9e0bece76e4f92e96333d3700
Do you know what pest is giving you trouble? As a preventative measure for possible problems..these treatments are bit pricey. I only use them if and when I know that I'll be needing some.. ;)

[chriscross1966]

I've used the slug one and it';s effective if you get the timing right.... it needs to be introduced as the potatoes are beginning to swell up, you need to mulch well as well because you've got to keep the soil moist.... I had more slug problems last year when the hot weather dried the soil out than the previous one when it stayed wet (also I was growing under weedsheet that first year and it helps a lot) You still need something else for the surface slugs and snails though, nematodes only get the subsoil ones, though once again if you'[re using weed sheet then it'll get everything that stays uinder there which includes a lot of the surface ones.

I used the multi-spectrum one from Defenders last year adn had remarkably few soil pests in my newly created veg garden that used to be rather rough lawn and flower beds. Used it cos there was a deal that got me it free with the slug pellets, but now would recommend to anyone breaking stuff in...

chrisc

[bluecar]

I've had an e-mail today from

www.gardening-naturally.com/

They have nematodes on offer

No. Of Deliveries 
12million-Treats 40sqm 30million-Treats 100sqm
1 Delivery         £8.99          £19.99
2 Deliveries     £16.99         £37.99
3 Deliveries     £24.30         £53.99

Trouble is I've got it on the e-mail, but can't find the offer on their website.

I have no idea whether this is cheap or not.

Regards

Bluecar

[cornykev]

I've also had an email today, plantsbypost.com have told me that the Nemaslug slug killer Nematodes are back on stock, it covers 40m2 on offer at £7.99 + £1.50pp
I will buy some but can it keep in the fridge or do you have to use it straight away, I won't need any for ages yet and the prices will go up.   :-\

[1066]

from what I understand CornyKev, is that the Nematodes have a shelf life, in the fridge, of up to 6 weeks. If I remember right, the companies don't actually start to deliver them until a certain time of year (i.e when it's warmed up) so you might buy them now but not get them delivered for another month. I guess for the companies its a cash-flow thing aswell  :-\
Don't know if that helps or not. Think I'll go and look at last years diary for when I bought / used them  :-\

[Trevor_D]

Mid-April normally. I didn't write it down last year, because I was too busy seeing to Lottery funding, but the year before it was April 15th.

[lottie lou]

Would it be all right to buy just one lot to do the potato patch or would you need to do the full treatement

[1066]

Just checked, and I didn't do my 1st batch until 4th May, which seems very late for a 1st dose (I did 2 lots)! Think I will do the ordering this year  ;)

[saddad]

Would it be all right to buy just one lot to do the potato patch or would you need to do the full treatement

We tend just to do the potato beds... and follow it round with them in rotation.. so eventually it all gets some.. .  :)

[cornykev]

I'm only doing my spud beds, I'm just trying to work out when I administer it, thxs for your input all.   :)

[lottie lou]

What I meant to say was would one application to the spud bed be okay

[saddad]

Two, six weeks apart is ideal. Ours rarely get a second, but we have been using for several years and the effect is cumulative... some build up in the soil with time.
:)

[Karen Atkinson]

oh, do they build up cumulatively in the soil?? I didn't know that. I assumed they would all die with our NE England frosts when winter came?
Do companies give you a date for delivery (given the time space between ordering and despatching?) as what happens if you're away for the weekend/week?

[chriscross1966]

oh, do they build up cumulatively in the soil?? I didn't know that. I assumed they would all die with our NE England frosts when winter came?
Do companies give you a date for delivery (given the time space between ordering and despatching?) as what happens if you're away for the weekend/week?

THey do breed in the right conditions, leaving spores behind.... once you can get them doing this then your garden will be a very hostile place for slugs for a while. THe same happens if we get a wettish summer, the larger than usual slug population allows the nematodes to explode through as a plague, leaving few survivors and lots of spores... I'm pretty convinced that's what happened in my first year using them, it shoulhave been a good year for the slugs but wasn't......