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Vine weevils

Hi all,, I've just come in from spreading the contents of a raised (carrot) bed over a large sheet of weed membrane for the birds to pick over.

The contents included all of my remaining carrots (about 50) which I discovered have been half-eaten by bloody vine weevil grubs when I harvested my Christmas dinner veg yesterday!  I've never had them attack carrots before.  I think I'll use nematodes in the spring when I refill the bed as there may still be some in there as I only took the top 30cm off (the bed is more than twice that height.)

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A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.

Posts

  • So sorry to hear that Bob, am now going to check mine as I never thought of that happening. Thanks for the alert.
  • Well we've had heavy rain for the past 24 hours and upon opening my Greenhouse door earlier I noticed the ground around it outside and indeed inside had flooded a little, nothing too drastic but not ideal. Hopefully the break in the rain that has just started will allow it to drain away a little and I can go check for those pesty vine weevils too!

  • I hate vine weevils. Hate them.  I mainly garden in raised beds, which they love to infest. I also hate lily beetles too. I have found that vine weevils are much less of a problem now that I feed hedgehogs all year long. The hogs have no effect on lily beetles though.

    I have 2 hedgehogs semi hibernating in the greenhouse at the moment so hopefully will have even fewer problem with vine weevil next year.

  • ooh I dread Vine 'Evils' too. Hoping that placing my bird feeders in my vulnerable shrubs will help reduce weevil numbers when they emerge but the blighters are nocturnal so..... can I borrow your hedgehogs please?
  • image I would, but the hogs go wherever they want to go. I make sure they want to come to my garden by putting down dry meat cat food and lots of mealworm all year round, It is so gratifying to hear the hogs rustle through my plants and then hear the crunch as they find another beetle. Beetles, caterpillars and weevils are their favourites. This year I had up to 6 visiting at a time. 

    In the greenhouse they have literally dug their way thoroughly through the beds - there is no bug left alive. They are now snoozing. 

  • Job done. 

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  • LeifUKLeifUK Posts: 573

    My strawberries in large containers were destroyed by vine weevil grubs. the strawberries a foot away in soil were untouched. Loose compost with roots must be weevil heaven. 

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