watch out for VINE WEAVILS

[Deleted User]

They are definitely about, as I know having discovered strawberry plants without roots in a container. The soil contained loads of the weavils. My back garden is all pots on gravel so nematodes ordered pdq

All other strawberries looking good but the 6 looked stunted hence the inspection

Davesnave

To be honest, weevils are rarely 'not about' and plant in containers should be checked now if not protected last autumn.

Some plants are also attacked in open ground. RHS says, "Plants growing in the open ground are less susceptible, although the grubs can kill strawberries, primulas, polyanthus, Sedum, Heuchera and young yew plants."

flashnazia

I think I've got these. Where's the best place to get nematodes?

wellused

I have found the grubs before and have even seen the adults but for some reason when re potting plants lately when I have expected to come across the grubs I haven't seen any.

DawnW

what do they look like? I have found some little white/ cream larvae with brown heads in some of my pots. Is this them? I haven't come across them before. The chickens enjoyed the ones I found, but I doubt whether I got all f them.

wellused

Sounds like them to me I usually throw them into the fish pond.

Davesnave

DawnW wrote: »

what do they look like? I have found some little white/ cream larvae with brown heads in some of my pots. Is this them? I haven't come across them before. The chickens enjoyed the ones I found, but I doubt whether I got all f them.

That's them.

The nematodes all come from the same place IIRC, but there are various middlemen/women.

malebolge

Evil, Evil little grubs. Joint number 1 on my hate list, along with lily beetle. I have a lot of tubs and use Provado Vine Weevil Killer2, which seems to keep them under control, but I'd not treated since late autumn and found some in pots with fuchia and polyanthus.
***note*** you can't use Provado on edibles or if you have a pond

greyhorse_2

flashnazia wrote: »

I think I've got these. Where's the best place to get nematodes?

I get all my nematodes on-line from Marshalls-seeds.co.uk

They are doing a 20% off this weekend

[Deleted User]

I ordered them from ebay, good price. I hate the things, they can bring a big sturdy camellia in a pot down, as happened to a neighbour in a past house

I don`t know were they came from but possibly in the growbag or eggs on the strawberry plants. Everywhere is gravel and the strawberries were 2 feet off the ground. Quite common to import them into your garden I think. I am doing twice a year nematoding from now on, I even had to order a coarse rose for my can as the ones I have are either fine or too leaky. They are one of the worst pests imo

Come to think of it, those plants did have notches up the sides of the leaves but I thought they were caused by leaf cutter bees which set up home about 6 feet away from them. It must have been the pesky vine weavil adults. Notches were like
http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/how-to-recognise-vine-weevil-damage-on.html

and the grubs are white with orange heads. The pupae are sort of scaly white and I found those too so I will have to be very alert

sobie

Yes, Vine weevils are imported into the garden as the adult beetles do not fly. They are brought in on plants. (Not in compost as there are no plant roots to feed on).

When you buy plants from a garden centre the plants would have been treated with a chemical (something like intercept or succsonic green - can't remember the new verisions name) as vine weevil destroys nursery stock - nurserymen can't take the risk of not treating and loosing their plants.

However if you're tempted by buying from carboots etc, or accept free plants from neighbours, freecycle etc - always treat the pots as soon as you get the plant home.

Good garden hygiene such as disinfecting pots will also help prevent the spread.

Once you've got vine weevil, its easier to routinuely treat, rather than waiting for a re-emergance.