Nematodes for Pest Control

In No Guff Vegetable Gardening, we tell readers how nematodes can be used to control fungus gnats in seedlings and worm bins

Nematode. Photo courtesy Soil Foodweb Canada.Here’s what we say about nematodes in the book No Guff Vegetable Gardening:

Nematodes are microscopic-sized worm-like critters that infest and kill soil-dwelling worm-like larvae of a few pest species. Once inside the larvae, bacteria carried by the nematode kill larvae.  

Nematode. Photo courtesy Soil Foodweb Canada.MORE: SHOPPING FOR NEMATODES

If you’re shopping for nematodes, here are some points to keep in mind:

• There are many species of nematode, so it’s important to select the species that controls the pest you wish to control
• Besides fungus gnats, nematodes control other pests including white grubs in lawns, iris borer, and root weevils
• Nematodes are a living, perishable product—so make sure what you purchase (1) has not expired and (2) has been properly stored
• Nematodes are usually applied using water as a carrier

Steve says: In one summer job I was tasked with getting white grub cadavers from potted shrubs, then inspecting them under the microscope to see if nematodes had done the dirty work. These little critters really work well.

Garden Coaches Chat: No Guff. Lots of fun.
Donna Balzer and Steven Biggs
Garden Coaches