[jamesk34]

I dug out some 3 year old strawberry plants yesterday and found vine weevil in the soil. The plants had shown no signs of being ill and the yield last season was great. I tried to remove all of the beasties from the soil but will probably have missed some.

I done a search on the forum and there was a post last year where a poster said that they used provado vine weevil killer but checked and this is only for ornamental plants in containers. With this in mind does anyone have any personal experience on the effectiveness and cost on using biological controls. My strawberry patch is 1.5m x 6m.

many thanks

[MichelleC]

My friend had the same problem and used the nematode vine weevil killer and she said it worked a treat. 

[bazial]

Yes I`ve  used nemotode and it worked ,but you will have to wait for the soil temperture to warm up  a bit.  I`ve also used the slug one on potatoes with sucess .

[jamesk34]

thanks guys for the replies. Was just checking on the internet and it is £7.50 for the nematodes and that covers 12m squared and suggests 2 applications for heavily infested site one in spring and other in autumn. This means that I require 2 boxes of the nematodes as my plot is 1.5m x 6m. The money soon adds up 

[gobs]

thanks guys for the replies. Was just checking on the internet and it is £7.50 for the nematodes and that covers 12m squared and suggests 2 applications for heavily infested site one in spring and other in autumn. This means that I require 2 boxes of the nematodes as my plot is 1.5m x 6m. The money soon adds up 

Just for not wasting your money:

1. Are you sure you have them, ie, some white grubs we are talking?
2. Can't you move them, as they need moving every 3 years anyway?

[jamesk34]

thanks guys for the replies. Was just checking on the internet and it is £7.50 for the nematodes and that covers 12m squared and suggests 2 applications for heavily infested site one in spring and other in autumn. This means that I require 2 boxes of the nematodes as my plot is 1.5m x 6m. The money soon adds up 

Just for not wasting your money:

1. Are you sure you have them, ie, some white grubs we are talking?
2. Can't you move them, as they need moving every 3 years anyway?

Yes definitely have the vine weevil grubs. Little white grubs with brown head shaped like letter "c". I can move the plants but just worried that the adult ones will crawl over the plot onto the next area where I have moved the plants.  might just try to nematodes to get rid of them

[gobs]

The 'adults' won't move anywhere if the grubs do not survive. Clear the area of any possible food source.

[trampyjoe]

Just want to jump in here with a question as I have alot of strawberry plants that will need moving at some point:

What can be grown in the soil that the strawbs were in if vine weevils are present? or is it a case that they need getting rid off completely before anything can go in?

[gobs]

I think from the top of my head, the letter one. However, this should happen by late spring, if they have near nought to eat.