We have been busy answering many questions over the last couple of weeks about Nematodes. The home owner's newest ally in the battle against grubs in the eco-friendly world of lawn care! So I thought this week I would answer some of the most commonly asked questions;
What exactly are nematodes?
Nematodes are microscopic beneficial insects that are natural predators to grubs.
How do they work?
Nematodes travel through water particles beneath the surface of your lawn and attack grubs who are feasting on your lawn's roots, they continue to multiply until all the grubs are gone.
When do I apply them?
Nematodes are most effective when the soil temperature reaches about 15C. When you see them available in your local garden centers it is the correct time to apply them. (we have them now)
Do they need to stay refrigerated?
Absolutely! Nematodes need to be refrigerated until you are ready to apply them. They have about a 4 week shelf life. Once mixed you must use all the nematodes in one application.
How do I apply them?
Nematodes travel ONLY through water passages so it is very important to make sure that your lawn is thoroughly wet before application (before, during or after a good rain is best) If it hasn't rain then you need to put out a sprinkler for a good length of time to ensure the ground is moist. Here at Gemmell's we have hose end sprayers available that you place the nematodes into, attach to a garden hose then spray directly to the areas affected by grubs, working your way out towards the rest of your lawn. You may not see any damage but grubs may still be beneath the surface. After application, water your lawn again!
How much will one container cover?
One application of nematodes covers about 3000 sq ft.
Can they harm my children or pets?
Absolutely not; they are 100% safe to apply to your lawn and once the grubs are gone they die off and compost into the soil.
Nematodes are now available at Gemmell's. Please feel free to drop in if you have any questions that you need answered. We're here to help!
Can you believe that we are still shipping plants and getting ready for the real spring and planting season which is coming around the corner pretty soon? We are busy getting ready for our Spring Open House that we are going to be celebrating on May 8th this year. We moved it one week later this year to make sure we have everything set up. It's hard to have everything ready and then we can't put it out because it is too cold. Not to worry though, we have many perennials out now and most of the annual benches are filling up in the front greenhouse, so don't wait for the Open House if the urge is there.
Ken comes to us this season with over 16 years experience in the horticultural industry. He has a Landscape Horticulture Diploma from the University of Guelph and post graduate certification in Aboriculture. He is well educated in native and ornamental trees species as well as pest and disease management. So if you are looking for that perfect tree or shrub this season or are having any pest/ disease problems come out for a visit.
