could this be the answer to caterpillars?

[GeordieVik]

Greengardener are now selling nematodes to finish off caterpillars - looks expensive mind!

http://www.greengardener.co.uk/newsletterjune.htm

[momol]

Thanks GeordieVik,

I read about it before but never tried it. It will be interesting to know how effective it is in reality.

Momol

[SueA]

Looks interesting Geordievik, but expensive as you say. As you have to spray it directly onto each caterpillar for it to work though I can't help thinking it would be just as easy to pick off the ones you find anyway.By the time the nematodes have got to work & killed the caterpillar it would probably have eaten plenty already. Would be interested to hear if anyone has tried it though.

[Rowan]

The answer to caterpillars is "Sorry, what was the question again?"
I hand-pick caterpillars and leave them for the blackbird. Or spiders, which love them! Failing that, soapy water does the trick. Never mind any kind of special soap - just drop the ends of a couple of bars into a plant-mister, let it go soggy, and shake well before each use. Does for aphids, too. The only drawback is soap spots on the leaves, but I'd rather have that than chemical muck.

[The Doctor]

I almost manage to keep on top of a caterpillar infestation of my cababges last year just by using a pair of scissors and chopping them in half when I found them.

If there'd only been a few it would have worked but there were hundreds, and I didn't have the time to sit there 24/7!!