[pico's parent]

It's been a very damp winter here in Texas and a warm one here in SAn Antonio. I just found fleas on Pico this week so I bought the Beneficial Nematodes to spray the lawn with this evening. Our corner lot gets lots of dog traffic, both leashed and off leash, as well as a half-dozen or so loose cats. (Why do people think a cat has a right to run around loose but get all upset over a dog off leash?)

Anyway, I swear by the Nematodes. Costs me 12 bucks for an application and they seem to live forever in my lawn. At least the fleas go away for a long time so I assume the nematodes are eating the larvae, as they should. They also eat other larvae that harm your grass, such as grubworm. And they are totally organic and harmless to Pico, so I don't worry about him being out there.

 

[Quincymom]

I haven't heard of this but I would be very interested. Does it have to be warm temperatures to begin applying it? Any more info would be great.
Quincymom

I just did a search and found this info:

http://www.rinconvitova.com/nematode%20bulletins.htm

Sounds like I will be at the nursery this afternoon. Thanks so much for the information!

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

HMMM...I am interested in this also...does it eat mosquito larvae too????!!!! I would LOVE to find a way to combat those pesty critters!

 

[pico's parent]

I don't think it's effective with mosquito larva because they breed in water while the nematodes live in the earth and eat grubworm larvae, flea larvae, etc. found there.

It was supposed to rain today so I sprayed the nematodes thinking I wouldn't have to water them in because the rain would do it. WRONG! I had visions of myself out there in a raincoat spraying my yard while the neighbors wondered what the heck I was doing. But that would be the easiest way to do it, I'm sure. It just doesn't seem to happen that it rains when you really want it to.

 

[pico's parent]

Quincy's Mom, that was a good web site. And their prices are good, too. I paid $11.50 for just 1 million nematodes and I'm really not sure which ones they were. I'm ordering online from now on! Their price was 22.50 for 5 million. Thanks!

I don't use the ratio they recommend and I get good results. I use far less.

 

[saltymalty]

It's still too cold here for application, we're expecting 9 inches of snow tonight. But I have a call into our lawn guy. I don't like treating our lawn with pesticides and fertilizers. This sounds like a wonderful option. How long do they last? Do you have to treat more than once a season? We get terrible Japanese beetles and greenhead flies (the kind that bite).

 

[pico's parent]

That website that Quincy's Mom posted gives you all the info about these beneficial nematodes. For instance, I didn't know about the temperature requirements or that there are different types of BN's for different pests.

It is recommended that you use them every 4-6 weeks but I have not had to do that yet. Twice a year has proven enough so far. We don't use weed killers, pesticides or non-organic fertilizers on our lawn and we have tons of birds, ladybugs and fireflies so it is very worth it to go organic. Of course, we have weeds and our lawn is not perfect but to go out on a summer evening with Pico and see the fireflies flitting around under the trees is like becoming a child again.

Also, my husband has been using a mulching mower for years now and we have not had to fertilize in years.