[digitover]

My apologies if this has been aired before, but after a horrendous problem with slugs in my potatoes this year, I am considering using nematodes on next year's crop.  Has anyone used them and how well did they perform?

[radiohead]

Well our plots are small and close together and very small....and the chap on my  neihbouring plot spent a small fortune on nematodes.......never seen so many slugs all summer
That said this summer was slug heaven...not for me to say that in a more normal year it wouldnt have dented the population.

[CDave]

Ive used them. I did see a lot of slugs that were clearly about to expire (humps on their backs) or those that seemed to have burst. Thats not to say that I didn't have slug problems though. Think that the trick is not to expect/rely on one method of control. I just dont think that there is one. I'm re-using nematodes next year but will keep my normal/routine methods of control -a tidy plot to reduce food / hiding places, bits of old wood along my raised beds (hiding places for slugs so I can get them!) - bits of pallet wood are ideal, strategically placed small heaps of bran (under cover) etc.   

[boldondig]

Used them last year - I got two small packs from Amazon which cost £12 and applied them over a three month period. I used them - not so much for the surface slugs - but to stop the keel slugs on my three beds of potatoes. Did they work ? Yes - considering the wet year Potatoes were good - I would say 50 % no slug damage at all - the rest had some damage and about 10 % were badly damaged - ate those first and lost +/- 50% of each potato tuber. Compared to my previous year this was an improvement .  To be more effective I guess you have to apply more - at more regular intervals - but that would obviously invcrease the cost... Hope this helps.

[Lottiman]

Nematodes are the one thing that I had pretty much decided that I would give a go next year.Opinion seems to be devided as to how affective they are, but from what I have read and the people that I have spoken to, it seems that there are more for than against, so I'm going to treat the potato bed which is allmost one third of my plot, as I can't be doing with another year like this one. I know it's been a really wet year and that just has not helped, but we normally do get some slug damage some variety's more than others, but We love our spuds and grow a lot, normally five variety's so I think it's got to be worth a go.

[Annen]

I tried it this year, but didn't read the instructions properly so sprayed it over too large an area.  I did he whole plot when really I should've done half of it.  But it did seem to work as I didn't have as much slug damage, but I was also using slug bait too.  So I don't really know. I think  the nematodes are a bit expensive for the whole garden, but you could maybe use them in specific areas.

[crh75]

I have used nemaslug on my potatoes for about 4 years now and have not had too much of a problem with slugs.  This year, however, I used nemaslug and slug pellets and it was the worse year I have ever had for slugs (worse than before I started using nemaslug).
I think this is an exceptional year and while I would recommend nemaslug I don't think you should completely change your practices based on issues this year alone. 

[pdblake]

How about home made nematodes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningequipment/8675592/The-war-on-slugs-starts-at-home.html

 

[digitover]

Thanks for all the advice.  I've had slugs eating into the tubers for years but never as badly as this year.  The earlies were alright but  they can't be kept too long.   The maincrops were only 10% undamaged, 20% badly damaged/unusable and the rest damaged but usable after cutting out the slugged portions.  In all I only had between 40 and 50 percent of my normal yield.

The plots on all sides of mine are badly overgrown, so they're a haven for slugs.  I can cut back the weeds a little way into them, but not far.

I use bait and beer traps, but these only seem to work on surface slugs, not those which get at the underground tubers.

I will try the nematodes next year.

[icbradley]

Go for it. I signed up for two deliveries so saved on postage and applied the nematodes twice about 6 weeks apart. Everything else on the plot was hit by slugs but I had spotless potatoes this year. The varieties were Charlotte and Valor.

[moose]

I have used them in the past and they do seem to make a difference, but they are expensive. However in Feb this year I took over a plot that had not been used for a few years. Dug over and weeded out the worst of the couch grass etc. I put potatoes in nearly half the plot and covered them with straw. Not the best crop I've had but acceptable and virtually no slug damage. My swedes are a different story- they are riddled.

Forgot to say I did not use nematodes this year.

[New shoot]

I've used them before and they were effective to a point, but they are expensive and don't give complete protection.

Some potato varieties are very slug resistant.  I grew Charlotte and Anya this year with almost no slug damage and did not use nematodes.  Kestral are good as well.  Maincrops were difficult to keep slug free this year as the summer was so wet and the pest numbers just built and built, but choosing varieties carefully can really make a difference.

I have an open fire in which I just burn wood, so save the wood ash to sprinkle down the trenches before planting.  This is an age old garden trick I picked up off Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Gardens series years ago and really does seem to help  

[AnneB]

I tried nematodes this year in desperation.  I think they had a small effect, but I thought it was quite expensive and overall not worth it.  It may just have been a terrible year for slugs.

Fortunately I don't seem to have a problem with keel slugs in potatoes, whatever variety I choose.  But squash, courgettes, carrots, beans, lettuce, salads and even tomatoes were decimated this year.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Does anyone know how commercial growers control slugs? Their solution may not be legal for hobby gardeners to use, but it may be interesting

[DD.]

Have a look at this:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/17/07/2012/133967/Rain-brings-slug-invasion.htm

Sounds a lot like the blue pellets of death on a wider scale!