Grow Your Own Magazine

Has anyone experience of treating slugs with nematodes?

How effective is it?

How long does it last?

Can you breed them with captive slugs?

What about the copper barrier (Lidls)

I am concerned about the environment in the polytunnel - it is warm and humid - with slugs already there. Once I finish stripping all the grass out, the only food will be the seedlings!

I found it v.effective
About 6 weeks - 8 weeks
Never tried - doubt it as its their food source they are supposed to "get it on" with each other but I have not fallen far enough to watch - yet
never tried copper rings but they seem to work - I have got some 6mm copper cable here and was going to try that on the Dahlias.

Ps upturned grapefruit skin is very good at attracting them apparently

Personally I found them very expensive and worked OKish - depends on if you can keep of the rading parties from next door etc. Have only done it once and am loathed to go for the expense again so am going for the tap dancing style defence again this year!

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

About £15 and doesn't keep but will treat a large area -go 1/2's with your neighbour? The nematodes live in soil anyway but flooding it with them increases population to massive proportions and when slugs die the balance returns. They work by stopping slugs eating. It works very well for keel slugs -to protect potatoes, lettuce, cabbage etc. ground needs to be wet first then water on.

I think it is effective for two months. Still worth stepping out on a damp night with a torch and brine jar for a snail hunt

I don't know how they are bred..if it were easy then they wouldn't be expensive!

I'm still unconvinced by copper idea but I hope to see scietific proof.

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Paul

I saw the tail end of a spring watch rerun last night where they were showing slugs being deterred by copper rings around pots and plants.

On reflection though I cannot remember seeing "all of the slug" in the frame so there may have been some bloke sticking a pin in its bum to get that reaction.

nematoids do work but you need to persist, it restores the balance if used for a full year.
copper works too, but only on above ground slugs.

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Yo an' Bob
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take only what you need
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It worked for me with vine weevil a couple of years ago and I've not seen any back yet, so I'm trying it on the slugs in the polytunnel this year. I tried everything last year on the slugs, but just couldn't get the tiny little things which do more damage than the bigger ones.

I'm waiting for the soil to warm up a bit though before I order as they don't have a very long shelf life - about 12 days if kept in a fridge I think.

I have just had delivery of my nematodes this morning and was going to share them with a friend who lives about 15 minutes away. Do you think they would survive long enough for me to quickly do my garden and then take the remainder around to her house?

Also, for information, I ordered my nematodes from Nemaslug (tel 0800 085 3105) - their ad is on page 34 of Lets Grow Veg for £9.99 but if you quote "LGV" they will only cost £8.99 incl p&p which is the cheapest I found when looking. Hope that helps any prospective purchasers!!

Thanks jenjems

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

Would have thought that they'll survive 15 minutes without any problems, dont' think that they're that sensitive. (but don't blame me if your friend still has a slug infestation!!!!!). Your other option is to simply cut the block in half so that it's mixed up at your friend's garden from fresh also, easier to carry that way also.

__________________

Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

Thanks Jenjems, that's the cheapest I've seen.

Don't cut the block in half! you must mix all the product to get even distribution of nematodes. They will be fine in a bucket transported to your friends, just make sure its well mixed again before putting it in the watering can. Don't leave it for hours though!

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There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
Happy Gardening!

copper rings????
I have tried these for my huge leaved Hosta!
Said Hosta is pot grown, the pot stands (raised out of the water) in 3" deep large bowl of water. I have edged the Hostas pot with copper tape.....no off this has helped, they still get to my Hosta...dratts and double dratts!
I have put nail varnish numbers on some of the sanils shells, I was interessted to see if they came back! yes they do and some are 2 years old now! bit of fun really.

sounds like you have them specially adapted flying slugs plaguing you, have you tried smearing Vaseline around it - the pot that is

I am off to Boots! great Idea thanks TEB

I use a special boot pattern to mark mine...they don't come back

I suspected the copper thing didn't work

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

Hi

although the nematodes seem like a great idea- you have to be really careful with the supplier- you take it totally on trust that the nematodes are actually alive- and in some cases they are not. I ordered 2 packs last year and found that the nematodes were all dead- (i am a biologist and work with other nematodes) and so no matter what the treatment would have been an expensive waste of time.

The company replaced the pack and the nematodes were alive-stating that the batch was faulty(- did anyone hear them recall the faulty batch?- why? because they did not), and this treatment worked on the allotment and in a controlled 'fishtank' situation very very well.

I then ordered some more from a different retailer (who got them apparently from the same supplier)and these too were dead- perhaps slightly old stock- the batch numbers were different and so there was nothing in common with the two cases (three months apart).

So i would try everything else before resorting to the nematodes- as they may be a very expensive con..

There are many websites with advice- and a mixed approach is always the best option- trying barriers- copper, coffee grounds, cat litter. collections such as beer traps and hand collections. Then there are the concentration methods- using rhubarb leaves and wood- turning these over and collectiong the slugs daily..etc. These when combine provide a good control. Also dont leave them a hiding and breeding place!

iainhawk - you are right - all the nematodes come from the same supplier, i know this because i buy direct from the (one and only) manufacturer to supply my professional growers. The ones you buy from the amateur catalogues all come from there but how long they (the middle suppliers) have them before they get to you, God knows! They have very specific storage requirements, and a relatively short shelf life. When they arrive at your (the customers) door, they MUST be kept in the fridge until you use them - if they get hot at all they WILL die (this includes getting hot in the post).

We are considering supplying the public in the future so i will soon find out how the amateur procurement system works, and how long the storage is, but at the moment i haven't a clue!

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There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
Happy Gardening!