Nematodes to treat slugs

[Paulottie]

copper rings????

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.

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

I suspected the copper thing didn't work

[iainhawk]

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!

[Protea]

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!