Nematodes

moggins

I have a huge slug problem every year in my garden, I was considering using nematodes this year but wondered if anyone had used these before and how effective were they?

loopy_lou_5

They are great, we are normally swamped with slugs.

You just water them into the ground and over night they completely get rid of them (slugs). However the slugs do leave a mess on the ground (they don't explode just alot of slime)

We have children and pets this is the only safe way to get rid.

I know someone will not agree with this method as the hedgehogs love slugs - but i my area there are plenty in my neighbours garden to keep them going.

HTH's

loopy_lou_5

Fotgot to mention if you are a gardener and grow fruit/veg then you can't use nematodes.

We used grow bags instead last year and had a very goo crop of toms, baby corn and strawberries.

moggins

You really can't use them if you grow fruit and veg? That's not going to be any good to me then Shame all the gardening companies failed to point this out

Noozan

loopy_lou wrote:

Fotgot to mention if you are a gardener and grow fruit/veg then you can't use nematodes.

I've never heard of this before Do you know why you can't use them?

I grow alot of fruit and veg and keep on top of the slug/snail problem by sending DH out with a torch, tongs and lidded bucket every night When I first moved here and started on the gardening, he used to pick up between 40 to 50 slugs/snails of various sizes every night but after two years, it's more like a dozen a night.

J_P_S

i tried to use them but the ebay seller sent them to the wrong adress and tried to deny it was his fault!!

i got a refund but didnt but any more but was planning to.

i didnt know you cant use them then grow fruit and veg though, i was planning to grow some this year.

GreenNotM

loopy_lou wrote:

Fotgot to mention if you are a gardener and grow fruit/veg then you can't use nematodes.
.

Hi loopy_lou

Good news - I think for all ... there are good and bad nematodes (aka eelworms)

Finally found a readable site that explained it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematode ... seems there are 20,000 types of nematodes 15.000 parasitic ...

"

wiki wrote:

Gardening

Depending on the species, a nematode may be beneficial or detrimental to a gardener's cause.
From a gardening perspective, there are two categories of nematode, predatory ones which will kill garden pests like cutworms, and pest nematodes like the root-knot nematode, which attack garden plants.
Predatory nematodes can be bred by soaking a specific recipe of leaves and other detritus in water, in a dark, cool place, and can even be purchased as an organic form of pest control. "

If a veg plot is infested with potato, tomato eelworms, types of nematode, etc., then crop rotation or not growing that crop for a few years is only solution.

I hope that has cleared any confusion, I left out the DNA squencing references :rotfl: :rotfl: and phylogeny :rotfl: on the www.nematodes.org site...

moggins

Thanks GreenNotM. I was reading my Grow Your Own mag last night (which is specifically a veggie gardeners mag) and they definitely recommended using nematodes for a bad slug problem.

loopy_lou_5

When we used them last year is said on the bottle not to use if growing fruit/veg. Maybe I read it wrong but will check when I next go to the garden centre to stock up on some more.

Sorry for any confusion. :-(

asquiths_2

Hi

Parasitic entompathogenic nematodes (microscopic worms) work by entering the soil (watering in and surfectants help with integration!) and releasing toxic bacteria which enter through natural openings ie mouth, eyes etc and the pests perish however during this process many juvinille once are produced.


There are two types of nematode ie pest and parasitic, the parasitic ones are the ones which controll pests however the 'root knot' will 'severe' roots and put tremendous stress on plants so excelent IPM has to be in place as a preventative.

However nematodes are expensive so try this, how big is your garden?

If it's not so big cover the garden (or problematic areas) with some kind of black sheet before watering! leave 2-3 days and remove and you'll see the pests underneath and just remove!

cheers

tight_jock

moggins wrote:

I have a huge slug problem every year in my garden, I was considering using nematodes this year but wondered if anyone had used these before and how effective were they?

Slug pellets seem to be the only really effective method. There are now environmentally friendly ones out there apparently.