Nematodes for slugs?

[Dave-G]

I just disposed of my sixth summer attempt at growing spuds in the borders around my small rear lawn. Every time I've tried I find small holes and brown discolouration in them. Not sure if its wireworm/click beetle or slugs going by conflicting Google results - likely posted to improve sales of something.

I can't use slug pellets because we have a dog that likes to sample everything in the garden and have found there are Nematodes for both - but the price of the treatment might render it just as well to buy all our veg instead of the soul destroying bad results.

This year I have only tried a small patch in the borders and done most of it in containers - which I'm about to draw from. I've done this due to reading that its not good growing vegetables around grass. I've similar issues with carrots. I'm now growing carrots in deep containers which of course adds to their cost.

 

Any thoughts from garden growers on here?

Edited August 9, 2019 by Dave-G

[derbyduck]

you can grow your own nematodes ! have a google ,  I read about it on a forum  (could have been grow your own forum)  it was easy to get started ,get some slugs and put em in a bucket with some water and a island of greens and leave them to it, but your best bet is Google .

[SpringDon]

We use nematodes in the polytunnels but they are expensive so you have to look at returns. Are you growing earlier or mains, we find mains difficult to grow without damage?

Any ground for potatoes should have been clear of them for 3 or more years.

[derbyduck]

just had  a google  (  how to grow your own slug nematodes  ) its all there ,  costs nowt apart from a bit of time and bucket  it was first published in the telegraph .

Edited August 9, 2019 by derbyduck

[figgy]

Copper strips keep slugs at bay

[Medic1281]

I’ve never had any luck with nematodes for leather jackets in the lawn. Used them spring and autumn for 3 years and the lawn looks worse than ever this year! 

[B391]

Just read the Telegraph way to make them, seems straightforward.

Does anyone know whether the same nemotodes are the same ones that work on chafer grubs and leatherjackets?

Thanks

[Dave-G]

Hey - thanks chaps. I'll be out there in a bit to gather some slugs in a small bucket to start it off. 

 

I now make my own grass and leaf compost, collected from a small gardening round I do - any thoughts about sprinkling the nematodes into it?

 

I've been leaving the spuds every other year to let the soil rest a bit but I doubt I'll ever try spuds in the ground again. I have loads of compost and dog food bags to to use as growbags..

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Dave-G

[Bigbob]

tidy up your garden dont leave anything the slugs can hide during the day , grow in containers with copper wire round them 

[henry d]

Beer traps work for me, lost all my lettuce then after putting in the beer traps and more seed, just lost one plant.

[Zapp]

When you dig your trenches put a layer of soot in the bottom and then manure/compost or whatever you're using on top, then your seed potatoes.  Sprinkle more onto the soil as you mound it over the top.  

[Rim Fire]

As your spuds are growing put slug pellets down then cover with soil so pellets are in the soil when spuds are growing