VINE WEEVIL

Photo: Vine weevil are very fond of cyclamen in pots.

Talking of things waking up, you might be finding a few vine weevils in the pots as you tidy up the soil. These pests need to be dealt with straight away as they can devour the roots of any plant that you put near it. If you can’t just get rid of the soil, which is the best bet, then try biological control. These are nematodes that will kill the grubs. Mixed into a solution and watered around susceptible plants, the nematode travels through soil moisture on its search for weevil grubs. The nematode is not active when temperatures are below 12˚C (55˚F), so apply when conditions are warm. There are chemicals on the market that will kill them that contain Imidacloprid if you want to go down that road.

Identify: To identify the grub look for a white body and pinky red head, I think they look quite juicy and so do the birds so if you find them you could put them on the patio and wait for them to get snatched up by our flying friends. Or just tread on them!

Plants affected: The grubs will attack the roots of almost any young plant in a container. They are especially fond of primulas and cyclamen. Plants in soil are less at risk.

Symptoms: Plants quickly turn yellow and wilt. Unfortunately, at this stage it’s usually too late to save them. For an advance warning that vine weevils are about, look for notches bitten out of the sides of leaves by adult beetles.

Prevention: At night-time, take a torch into the garden and sprinkle a thick layer of grit around those plants at risk to deter egg-laying adults, and any grubs or adults that you see. (You can see them on the leaves with a torch!)

Horticultural.