Vine weevil and strawberry plants

[Flutterbyes 10]

vine weevil and strawberry plants

 

I have a real issue with vine weevil in my garden...

 

I am losing plant after plant after plant..

 

my neighbour gave me lots of strawberry plants at the end of the season, they were in individual plant pots, most of those was killed by vine weevil

 

I had a wooden log oval thing that was left wild, full of weeds, emptied this today ready for the kids to start planting and this was full of weevil grubs...

I don't seem to be getting top side of the clear infestation I have in my garden.

 

the pesky blighters have been attacking my strawberry plants for years now, the reason why my neighbour gave me some was because weevil had killed all mine off :(

 

now for my birthday this year we have put a raised area in the garden using log rolls, so not a container as it does go directly into the ground, in this is my beloved new raspberry canes that were a birthday gift and some new straw plants...

 

I am petrified that vine weevil will kill them all again...

 

so my options...

 

plant some sacrificial plants, use a biological control...

 

what works for you and can the biological control be used on food crops??

[Chez2 10]

Buy some biological or chemical control. We have over 60 tubs and they are devils in tubs. We water the chemical or biological control on at the correct time of year and keep top side of it. If you see any grubs or adult beetles kill them. They are known for colonosing tubs so don't be fooled into thinking you are safe growing in tubs.

[Aries22 10]

Dont buy the cheapist compost, they are full of Vine Weedel eggs.

[Chez2 10]

Dont buy the cheapist compost, they are full of Vine Weedel eggs.

 

Have you actually seen the eggs? I've seen grubs and the adult beetles in my garden but never eggs. The process of composting is quite high temperture and I'm sure it would kill any eggs and grubs.

[Flutterbyes 10]

I dont like the idea of using insecticide on food crops, but what I need to know is if the biological control is safe to be used around children....

 

I am a childminder and the kids have access to the garden....

 

the straws and raspberries have been moved to a raise bed which goes directly into the ground... will I be safer now?

 

how do you know compost is full of weevil eggs? I have never seen an adult as I thought they were nocturnal, but I thought compost was heat treated to kill weed seeds...

 

thanks for your help so far!

[craigmason 10]

use this for vine weevils

http://www.defenders.co.uk/pest-solutions/biological-vine-weevil-control.html

[Chez2 10]

I have used both chemical and biological control.

 

Read the bottle before you buy or use something to get advice about the kids safety.

[Flutterbyes 10]

thanks, looks like biologiocal control it is, will apply when kids have gone home and nematodes should be in the ground...

 

found an adult weevil in sat on one of my strawberry plants tonight, shrieked at husband to come and remove and the pesky thing dropped onto the soil!

he couldnt see it, but I found the blooming thing and swiftly removed with a bit of kitchen roll and squished it and put into the bin.

 

it was definately a weevil and not a ground beetle as I double checked what it looked like on google after, cheeky thing! how dare it!

 

need to get some nematodes now lol

[Segun2 10]

Vine Weevil is a nasty one... My mother had the same infestation problem not so long ago. I heard the situation is a little better now with the help of nematodes.

[Aries22 10]

Have you actually seen the eggs? I've seen grubs and the adult beetles in my garden but never eggs. The process of composting is quite high temperture and I'm sure it would kill any eggs and grubs.

 

No l not seen the eggs, but always get white worms when buying cheap compost.