Nematodes advice.

Just after a bit of advice re nematodes. Where to get them from. How to apply. What to be careful of. Etc etc etc.

I have huge slugs problems. Slug pellets, ground coffee, egg shells and copper tape didn't deter them all.

This year I am growing pots, carrots, cuc, toms, broc, courgettes, beans, peas, sweetcirn, bns, aubergines, celery, various berries, leeks, onions, turnip, swede, cabbage.

Thank you in advance.

 

I have used nematodes from Nemasys for three years with great success on my potatoes.

 

I see many gardeners on our allotment site using slug pellets wrongly, that is because I read something a few years ago that changed how I used them.

People freely sprinkle slug pellets straight from the container with the end result being that too many pellets are spread. I read a few years back that this could actually attract slugs into the area and kill only a few. One women was very successful using only 2 slug pellets to protect her greenhouse and when one disappeared she replaced it.

I now have a much better result using slug pellets by just sprinkling a few into the cap then deploying from there. I also use beer traps.

I do use nematodes for my potato crop and I time it's use by counting back three weeks from its mature date, so if my spuds (on paper) should be ready to harvest after 14 weeks, I apply at 11 weeks.

I buy the smallest pack of nemasys nematodes and divide that into four, so four watering cans of nematodes, I do not use a can rose. Pour it carefully at the base of the plants not on the foliage over a quarter of your crop, refill the can with clean water to rinse out and put over the same area. Do the same with the remaining 3 batches.

I've been intending to try and make my own nematodes but as yet I have not got around to it, maybe next year. Maybe we could as a group here, start a topic and a bit of a field test between us on nematode manufacture next year.

Steve...

 

Thanks - will read the article tonight.

Nematodes due to arrive tomorrow. Is there any variety of fruit or veg that I should keep them away from?