Amateur Gardening – 10 August 2019

42 AMATEUR GARDENING 10 AUGUST 2019

F

ROMlatespringtoearlyautumn

vineweevilsareactive.The

adultscausesomeunsightly

damagetofoliagebynibbling

Thelarvaeof vineweevilscandestroypotplantsbyeatingtheroots– butfearnot!

TimRumballlooksat sixtreatmentsfordealingwiththismosttroublesomepest

Vine weevil treatments

leaf edges, but it’s what’s going on

underground that causes the real

problem. Through this period vine weevil

grubs munch a wide range of plant roots,

from fuchsia and cyclamen to

strawberries and blueberries. Plants

grown in pots are most susceptible and

affected plants are often killed. I’ve

Tim tests six products this week to determinethe best for you

Tried& tested by Tim Rumball

Dragonfli Vine Weevil

Killer Nematodes

£11.99 (treats 20sq m)

Features

Low-temperatureSteinernema

nematodesforspringandautumn,

andwarm-weatherHeterorhabditis

forlatesummer.Child/petsafe.

Performance

Easytoprepareforwateringcan.One

sachetmakes 32 litresof product,soit

goesa longway.Needstobeusedsoon

afterreceipt– nematodesonlykeepfor

a fewweeksin thefridgesoarebest

usedin onehit.Canbeusedonopen

soil.Novolume-per-potinfo,butmustbe

wateredontomoistcompostona dull

daywhentemperatureis above5°C.

Value

A good price, goes a long way, and it’s

safe to use on crops and ornamental

plants. Known to be efficient when used

as directed, but it won’t keep long.

✆ 01376 563322

 dragonfl i.co.uk

BugClear Ultra

Vine Weevil Killer

£ 8 .00

✆ 01276 401300 for stockists

 lovethegarden.com

Features

Concentrated systemic and contact

insecticide used as a soil soak to kill both

adult vine weevils and their larvae. Pack

size 480ml, sufficient to treat 80 litres of

compost. For use on ornamental plants.

Performance

Easy to mix in watering can – 60ml of

product in 1 litre of water treats 10 litres

of compost. It is difficult to judge exactly

how much each pot needs, but a rough

assessment seems to work well enough.

Effective for two months. Also kills

whitefly, blackfly, scale insect and mealy

bugs. Not suitable for edible pot plants.

Value

Easy to apply and works on adults

and grubs, plus it kills other pests. Not

suitable for edibles. Could be costly if

you have lots of big pots. Can be stored.

Zee No

Weevil

£10.99 (for 1.7kg bag)

✆ 01493 750061

 greengardener.co.uk

Features

Granular product made from dried,

crushed olive pommace and aromatic

Mediterranean herbs. Forms a barrier

that deters adult vine weevils from laying

eggs in the compost. Biodegradable and

safe to use around children/pets.

Performance

Pleasant to handle, but its smell may be

off-putting. Easy to apply and makes a

good-looking mulch. A^1 ∕ 2 in (1cm) layer

is needed to ensure no bare soil, so it

covers four or five big pots. Careless

watering can wash out the granules, so

may need topping up through the year.

Value

It’s easy to disturb the mulch, allowing

adult vine weevils a way in. It’s quite

expensive per pot treated, and hard

to tell if it works.

Score

9

/15

Score

13

/15

Score

14

/15