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White grub like creatures

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  • 24-05-2009 9:58pm
    #1
    clofty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭


    Hi there,

    I've been planting out some of my plants that I had hardened off in a cold frame and I've found a few of them have a white grub like creature in the base of the pots. They are big fat things and fairly gross looking to be honest.

    Does anyone know what they might be and how they would have got in there. Are they harmful? Some of my plants dont look the best - some holes in leaves and a green moss type cover on some of the soil.

    Worried I have an infestation of some kind.


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    #2
    lucylu
    Registered Users Posts: 2,111 ✭✭✭lucylu


    sounds like vine weevil

    http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/vineweevil.asp


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    #3
    John mac
    Registered Users Posts: 5,118 ✭✭✭John mac


    +1 the evil weevil


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    #4
    clofty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭clofty


    Thanks - that looks like them alright. I will inspect all the pots this evening. I have other very large containers on the patio also with various fruit and veg - these would be impossible to tip out and inspect and remove. Would it be possible that these guys would have got into the bigger containers?

    How would I kill them off without physically removing them from the bigger containers? Would there be an alternative to chemicals (other then frogs / hedgehog which I don't have).

    I'm kind of disappointed to be honest - I really didn't think anything would get at them in the cold frame.


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    #5
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    You could try Nematodes, pricey but proven effective.

    http://www.mrmiddleton.com/shop/home.php?cat=1&sort=title&sort_direction=0&page=2


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    #6
    lucylu
    Registered Users Posts: 2,111 ✭✭✭lucylu


    your alternative is take out your plants and wash the roots in water and pot in new compost.. messy but its one way of getting rid of them hoors
    dont reuse the affected compost and dont put it in your compost bin..
    They tend to thrive in Peat based compost. so add garden soil, peat free compost and some sand to your new pots.


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    #7
    queenie1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16 ✭queenie1


    Most definitely vine weevil, squish them or feed them to the birds. You need to break the cycle so use nemasys as previous posts and if you find any adults usually around at night squish them as well.....


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    #8
    sharonl
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭sharonl


    Try some of the nema-sys vine weevil nematodes, they are organic and should be successful in pots and you'll only need one pack. We've just applied some on our allotment to get the little nasties. Good luck.

    sharon
    www.plot103.blogspot.com


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    #9
    clofty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭clofty


    Thanks all.
    Will source some of those nematodes asap.
    Between these lads and evil slugs I'll be surprised if anything grows at all!!

    Cathy


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