Gardening Naturally cutworm nematodes are a natural organic pest control designed to reduce cutworm damage in planted beds, borders and vegetable plots. The nematodes are microscopic transparent worms that live in the soil and feed and multiply inside the cutworms they come into contact with. These nematodes are a mix of Steinernema feltiae and Steinernema carpocapsae. Unlike synthetic pest control options, these highly specific natural predators will hunt day and night to protect your vegetables from unwanted intruders while leaving other beneficial insects alone. How does it work? Nematodes naturally occur within soil in the UK, but in low numbers. By adding more of these cutworm-specific nematodes, you can quickly reduce cutworm populations. When they come into contact with a cutworm, they enter through natural openings and feed and multiply. Within days, the cutworm will stop eating, and within a week, it will die. The nematodes will multiply and spread out in the soil, seeking more cutworms to continue to propagate. Most of this occurs below the surface. What are Cutworms? Nocturnal feeders: They hide in soil during the day and emerge at night to feed, often severing plant stems at ground level (hence the name "cutworms"). Appearance: Soft-bodied caterpillars (about 1" long) in shades of brown, yellow, or green, with distinctive stripes. Damage signs: Look for severed stems, girdled plants, or chewed leaves on low-growing plants. How do I use them? Gardening Naturally nematodes are supplied as a dry powder which can be mixed with water in a watering can and then applied to the area you want to protect. We advise applying them after the last frost but early in the growing season to prevent cutworms from pressuring young plants. A second treatment can be applied later in the year, around August or October, before the soil becomes too cold. Once applied, try to make sure that the soil doesn't completely dry out to ensure that the nematode population remains healthy and strong. Is it safe? Nematodes are completely natural and prevalent in most gardens throughout the UK. Gardening Naturally predatory nematodes are simply a more precise and effective version, which will only target the local cutworm population. They are designed for use where pets and other wildlife are present, When is the best time to use Nematodes? The best time to use these nematodes would be when the soil temperature is reliably above 5°C, and the cutworm larvae are active, usually by the end of March through to May. These worms often resurface around August and can be treated again between August and October as long as the soil temperature doesn't frequently drop below 5°C. Of course, if you wanted to use them in a covered environment where the temperature will not drop below 5°C, you could use them year-round. Application Advice: Dissolve the entire contents of the pack in a bucket containing 6L of water to create a solution. Stir vigorously and then take 500ml of the solution and add it to a 5L watering can fitted with a coarse rose and fill with water. Apply this to a 5m2 area Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the whole area has been treated In total, you should go through 12 watering cans (60L of water) and cover a 60m2 area.
