vine weevil advice

moshi · « **on:** February 03, 2012, 22:58 »

Hi All

I apologise if this question has been asked before, I did have a look through the forum but could locate anything (Probably because I am not used to it yet)

So, I have my first allotment. One of the chaps down at the allotment mentioned that my predecessor always had vine weevil issues and I am wondering if this is something I will inherit? If so, are there any good methods of controlling them?

Thanks in advance

gobs · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2012, 00:30 »

If you have them, you have them, I would think. You gotta put in some of these trap pots.

On the other hand, they might not know this for sure, you see.

Yorkie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2012, 08:46 »

Vine weevil can be tackled with nematodes when the weather is warmer.

I don't know how much of a problem it actually is in the soil, as opposed to pots though?

gobs · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2012, 11:01 »

Not just that, but the grubs cause the most damage in autumn, winter. So I wondered if we just have a story.

Of course, I do not know, what was grown in the garden and how.

If you are a digging type, you could find a lot of white grubs around roots, for example strawberries, other soft fruit.

engineer · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2012, 15:51 »

Quote from: Yorkie on February 04, 2012, 08:46

Vine weevil can be tackled with nematodes when the weather is warmer.

I don't know how much of a problem it actually is in the soil, as opposed to pots though?

Quote from: gobs on February 04, 2012, 11:01

Not just that, but the grubs cause the most damage in autumn, winter. So I wondered if we just have a story.

Of course, I do not know, what was grown in the garden and how.

If you are a digging type, you could find a lot of white grubs around roots, for example strawberries, other soft fruit.

OH DEAR!!!!!!!! all the replies are correct of course, however, yes the grubs live off the roots of established plants, but they do not migrate from plant to plant, only as adult beetles, do they become mobile. So in an established bed of perrenials not all of the plants will be effected. therefore not ruining the whole crop. the grubs are most active between now and March/April.

It could be worthwhile, in a small plot, to dig up any plants, whilst they are dormant, the one's you think could be affected, inspect the roots, wash the roots if possible,kill off ant grubs found, then replant.

To my knowledge there is no known effective deterrent apart from quashing them between fingers

Ice · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2012, 18:05 »

Quote from: engineer on February 04, 2012, 15:51

Quote from: Yorkie on February 04, 2012, 08:46
Vine weevil can be tackled with nematodes when the weather is warmer.

I don't know how much of a problem it actually is in the soil, as opposed to pots though?

Quote from: gobs on February 04, 2012, 11:01
Not just that, but the grubs cause the most damage in autumn, winter. So I wondered if we just have a story.

Of course, I do not know, what was grown in the garden and how.

If you are a digging type, you could find a lot of white grubs around roots, for example strawberries, other soft fruit.

OH DEAR!!!!!!!! all the replies are correct of course, however, yes the grubs live off the roots of established plants, but they do not migrate from plant to plant, only as adult beetles, do they become mobile. So in an established bed of perrenials not all of the plants will be effected. therefore not ruining the whole crop. the grubs are most active between now and March/April.

It could be worthwhile, in a small plot, to dig up any plants, whilst they are dormant, the one's you think could be affected, inspect the roots, wash the roots if possible,kill off ant grubs found, then replant.

To my knowledge there is no known effective deterrent apart from quashing them between fingers

According to the RHS both Yorkie's and Gob's advice is spot on. I can find no mention of anyone saying they migrate from plant to plant so I can't understand your "OH DEAR!!!!" comment. You CAN control them with nematodes and they do more damage in autumn/winter, exactly as said above.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=234

gobs · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2012, 18:30 »

Not just me then.

I understand this is an allotment, why would it be full of perennial plants?

It just like someone said, whom someone told so, we do not know if there are any as is.

engineer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2012, 20:05 »

Quote

According to the RHS both Yorkie's and Gob's advice is spot on. I can find no mention of anyone saying they migrate from plant to plant so I can't understand your "OH DEAR!!!!" comment. You CAN control them with nematodes and they do more damage in autumn/winter, exactly as said above

my oh dear comment was aimed at the fact that Moshi had taken on a plot with vine weevil probs. and to reassure him that they would not move between plants like greenfly etc. once they are in that plants roots they will stay there until adulthood, i was not critising anyone's comments.

Yes they do most damage in autumn/winter, but it is not apparant until springtime

Perrenial? is a strawberry plant not a perrenial? the term not only applies to flowers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perennial_plant

edited to make quote clear - please use quote button

gobs · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2012, 21:11 »

We do not know anything, Engineer. This could be a completely empty garden as far as we know or full of weeds or whatever.

Till the original poster comes back and presents some facts, we are just discussing dragons.

Kajazy · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2012, 13:43 »

I also got vine weevils - they attacked my strawberry plants with great vigour and killed them off, in their pot. I was afraid that they'd got into the plants that I then planted out on the allotment, so I watered in a nematode treatment - this is a twice yearly thing, when the soil temp is warm enough (spring and autumn). The grubs are very easy to spot in the soil. Some people with this problem grow 'sacrificial' plants - I think primulas are supposed to be among their favourites - so that they go for them instead of the edible plants. There is no vine weevil pesticide that I'm aware of that is safe on edible plants.

azubah · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2012, 19:43 »

We have vine weevils. The adult beetles get up and walk to wherever they want to go...Then they lay lots of eggs..the grubs then eat the roots of the plants. I have even found the beetles in the house.
We only found problems in tubs. I grow carrots in water tanks filled with old growbag compost, and had to empty them handful by handful to find the culprits. They are white and so easy to spot. This did solve the problem for last year.
They have not caused us any problems in the ground. I don't think they like our clay soil.

Auntiemogs · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2012, 19:49 »

Quote from: azubah on February 05, 2012, 19:43

We have vine weevils. The adult beetles get up and walk to wherever they want to go...Then they lay lots of eggs..the grubs then eat the roots of the plants. I have even found the beetles in the house.
We only found problems in tubs. I grow carrots in water tanks filled with old growbag compost, and had to empty them handful by handful to find the culprits. They are white and so easy to spot. This did solve the problem for last year.
They have not caused us any problems in the ground. I don't think they like our clay soil.

Me too azubah (think I imported them with a heuchera I bought last year). I'm really hoping the nematodes do work and have quarantined my new strawbs in the greenhouse just in case... Waiting for the weather to warm up and I shall blitz them again.

Auntiemogs · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2012, 23:33 »

Well, I guess it's that time of year again...

Went to lift my small connifer (3 ft high and in a pot) and the whole thing came up.
Don't know how long the little varmints had been in there but they were certainly managed to eat most of the roots.

All pots going to be inspected tomorrow. Nematodes ordered. This is war!

Kajazy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2012, 23:35 »

Anyone know what temp the nematodes need for it to work? I could always bring them indoors for a bit...

New shoot · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2012, 08:29 »

I've had to apply nematode treatments at work before and you need about 5 degrees C soil temperature. I would hang on until April. At the place I used these we did 4 treatments - 1 April, 1 May then 2 in the autumn

This will only knock down the grubs, so you need to have a plan B for the adults. They have their favoured shrubs to hide in, so if you have Leylandii, laurel or Photinnia Red Robin as hedging near the plot, these may be the issue. We had a big Leylandii hedge at my old place that they were all hiding in during the day and then tramping out at night to eat the stock. We had to get this sprayed with by professionals with big kit. The best defence at home is Provado Ultimate Bug Killer but it has restricted uses for edible crops, so treating nearby ornamentals or hedging if feasible, may help. The munch patterns of the adults on leaves is quite distinctive, so if you find damaged leaves on evergreen shrubs (they don't actually eat conifer) and post a piccy Moshi or Kajazy, we can have a look at see if it looks like vine weevil

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