On 11/10/06 19:43, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:

snip
Have you found the slug nematodes effective in glasshouses? Certainly a few
friends and one retired semi commercial grower have total eradication.
I believe they are using them throughout the year as the glass is heated.
I can't quite understand what the megatoads live on once the slugs are all
deaded:-)
The vine weevil stuff worked a treat for me on potted brugsmanias but
unfortunately other sap sucking swine and nibblers caused very unsightly
damage. The flowers were worth waiting for,late, but a nice Autumn
display:-)


I asked my guru (!) who says that we don't use the slug nematodes in the
greenhouses and in fact, get very few in those. He puts that down to the
number of birds living in the houses and yesterday we found one of the many
toads that live in them, too. Big handsome chap he was, too! We use it
outside in some places but again, birds and toads do a great job for us. I
must say that, when I've been wedding the green houses, especially the prop
house with its young, succulent plants, I have found no adult slugs and few
babies. We have a strong and thriving bird population which helps
enormously.
The vine weevil stuff is excellent and really has done a good job. BTW, you
and other urglers may be interested to know that Ray and others using bio
controls found that using Sequestrene green (if I'm remembering the exact
name properly) where Encarsia was present resulted in the loss of the
Encarsia, even up to two or three years later.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/