Nematodes

Just trying to get a feeling for how many of you out there use nematodes for grub control and what your overall evaluations/comments are. It seems as though nematode technology has increased lately and should be a no brainer with regard to chemical replacement. Why have nematodes not made a bigger splash in the industry.

 

1. Organic lawn care is usually perceived as being expensive.
2. They are perishable, and shipping is high.
3. They must be sprayed in wet, non-sunny conditions, or I have found their efficacy decreases greatly.
4. People don't like the idea of a "bug" being sprayed on their lawn - they know and like the idea of a chemical kill.
5. They drown. They can't be hauled around in a big spray tank for more than two hours.

People who want organic though, do not have some of these blinders to remove, and the rest I tell I'm applying their lawn pest control, and that it is guaranteed for the whole year.

 

I agree with 1,4 and 5.....try arbico, and refridgerate them, I've held them for over a month that way....on board my truck I keep them in an ice chest with freezer pks, with them wraped in towels so they dont get freezer burn.............regarding # 3, how about early in the day with the dew or after 3pm in the afternoon.....I usally plan for a rainday, thats the best in my book............In answer to the original question, I think you need an open mind?.........Try ta picture a bunch of chemical applicaters looking at a small pudding cup of nemas, no lethal order, no MSDS sheet?No bird kill after application?....its gotta be freaky............

 

When it rains in May, we don't mow - I spray.
For people who care, they are much better for the lawns. When diazinon and dursban were being used (now their ilk) people were losing 50% of their earthworm population. Now with more expensive alternatives, some are turning back to Sevin which is worse - 75-90% earthworm kill. They are slowly killing the health of their soil with the stuff. So then they of course have to aerate. The way I do it, it costs us less to apply nematodes, and they are more efficacious. No second apps, unless I miss a spot. I tell people it's non-toxic to kids and pets. There are no health warnings. This is the first thing I changed when I went out on my own - ditching the heavy reliance on the insecticides. Sometimes the applicators would lay down diazinon so heavy, it would make us sick (headache), and the lawns still got the grubs and catepillars, because there wasn't enough water soon enough to move the stuff down into the soil. I store all the nematodes we need to service all our clients in one drawer of our fridge - try doing that with the chems!!

 

Hey Fin, where are you hidein?.................Today nemas are used every where 1, lawns for grubs....2,landscape for black vine weeval,,,3,flea & tick control,,,4,Barns / kennels for fly control,,,5.fruit trees for Clear-wing borers,,,6,Termite control........Guess its just our Best Kept Secret?

 

Nocutting,

I focus almost exclusively on turf and, for the most part, golf and athletic turf. Nematode use is not as accepted as it is in most other parts of the green industry for reasons unknown. I think it has to do with the chemical companies enormous influence and the nature of "high intensity" turf culture. I am trying to get a feel for nematode overall in the green industry and try to determine the limitations or percieved limitations in golf/athletic turf.

 

I do not use them myself, but a colleague used them here in CT. this year. We had no rain for 42 days, coupled with alternating hazy hot humid and bone dry conditions. Nematode treated lawns were devoured by grubs. We are assuming they did not survive the drought.

 

Extenuating factors, surely had a negative impact on your friends nematode release...............as with anything, we all need to look at the big picture, rather than just applying them as directed, During drought conditions other steps should have been taken to ensure a good release?.......the use of surfactants, may of helped your friends situation, early morning, or late afternoon releases certainly would have helped, increaseing the water to nematode mix, certainly woulda helped,,,,,,,,,,,was this a 1st relese for him?.......had endophytic grass already been introduced?......Personally I wont even offer you a nematode release if we havent made any changes to your cultural practices......unlike conventional chemical lawn care, alot of thought has to be given on a long term plan, just some food for thought

 

Nocutting,

This is what happens or has happened in a number of golf situations....failure to follow distinct and straight forward directions. Nematodes will not work unless there is a water film within/between soil particles. The nematodes that work the best are considered "cruisers" in that they are well suited for moving and locating sedentary insects. H. bacteriophora falls into that category and is the most efficacious nematode....providing the water film is there for them to "cruise". Some companies sell S. carpocapsae which is an "ambusher" and not mobile at all....much less efficacious but still needs a water film. Not irrigating or keeping the soil moist for at least two weeks results in little to no control.
Nematodes work terrific....if they are understood and applied as directed.

 

Those of you who use nematodes for grub control, do you use it only after scouting for grubs, or is it used as a preventative every season?
Any suggestions for sources and types of nematodes?