" Jeanne Stockdale" wrote in message
...
We have just discovered what we think are vine weevil grubs in our
strawberry plants(in glasshouse). Have identified a nematode which should
get rid of them, but how have they got there in the first place?

Most of the plants are in growbags - and some of these are infected. We
also
have one section which is compost (bought in in bags) which seems to be
badly infected and where we have lost about 90% of our plants. We rent out
part of our glasshouse to a plantsman - his plants come in from various
places - UK/Holland/Italy.

As well as wondering how they got there, how can we be sure they won't
come
back!!!

Jeanne

They will always come back as they are present all over the UK in the
country side, strawberries being edible limits your course of action. but
most growers down here use sticky barrier tapes to prevent them reaching the
tops of grow bags (they can not fly) coupled with nematode drenches and
introducing bantams at certain times of year when fruit is not present. Life
is somewhat easier if the crop is not edible as you can use "Vinil" in the
compost which effectively stops them breeding in the compost, but put just
one untreated pot in a tunnel and it will be full of grubs in no time so the
adults are still very much around.
You may find your only course is to start again with clean stock.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)