The problem: When growing seedlings or potted plants indoors and in glasshouses the damp soil needed for healthy plants can often be a home to sciarid fly larvae. These larvae can damage the plants and also transmit diseases to them. Additionally, when they develop into adults, the sciarid flies are a nuisance.
Traditionally adults emerge from May to July when a female has the potential to lay up to 1,500 eggs. After hatching the white bodied, brown headed legless larvae develop in the soil, pupate the following spring before adults emerge again from May. However, a combination of milder winters and increased use of protected growing has meant this life-cycle is no longer as structured and larvae may be present at any time during the year.
The product: Beneficial nematodes are naturally occurring microscopic worms which move through the soil to hunt sciarid fly larvae, infect them and then once inside kill them.
- Treats up to 10 or 20 square meters of soil, containers or pots
- Can be used on all plants sciarid fly live on or around
- Suitable for use in homes, greenhouses and gardens
- Easy to use; mix in watering can or use a hose end sprayer
- Does not contain chemical pesticides
- Suitable for organic growing
How to use: Product contains living nematodes and should be used as soon as possible. Fresh is best!
- Store package in fridge (4°C) until use. Do not freeze.
- If applying with a watering, mix contents of pack in a bucket containing 1.5 L of water.
- Add one third of the bucket contents to a watering can and fill the watering can with additional water.
- Apply to one third of the area to be treated through a coarse rose. Then repeat the above two steps until all product is used.
- If applying with a hose end sprayer, mix with water and add to the applicator. Apply evenly over area to be treated.
- After applying nematodes, additional water should be applied to the treated area to wash nematodes into the soil.
- Use the entire pack in one go. Do not store opened packs or made up solutions.
- Soil should be kept moist for 2 weeks after application to help the nematodes work.