container gardening and vine weevils

Nematodes were expensive and useless.

Thanks Melliemoser and pompa, I will let you know how I progress over the winter.

I have trouble with vine weevil in my bonsai collection, as they stay in the same pot for a couple of years, I have to treat them. I find "Provado Vine Weevil Killer" 2 to work well.

diluted washing up liquid is my remedy for all ills in the garden.

diluted washing up liquid is my remedy for all ills in the garden.

I am a nuker of vine weevils as well. The little buggers eat all my Heuchera.
Soaking the soil with Armillatox seems to work.
www.armillatox.co.uk/default.htm

I thought lilly beetles were very attractive until I saw the larvae sticking themselves to the stems and what few leaves are left with their own poo.

At least lilly beetles are easier to see and remove before they lay their eggs. Make regular patrols as the lilies start growing in May or Jun and you can pluck them off and squish them or drop them into a jam jar with some water and washing up liquid in. The washing up liquid means they drown very quickly.

Liz and PRINTMISS - thanks for taking the moderate route (root again, sorry).

Most, if not all, of the plants on my balcony don't last beyond around 3 years and I can go with that, but there's a danger these beasties are taking over.

Its interesting though to note what they DO NOT attack alongside plants that they have munched up.

I have an antirrhinum (spell check?) plant which is still laughing, although it has just stopped blooming, in a pot where two other plants have succumbed.

Also I have a sturdy marjoram plant, in a pot where an accompanying wallflower plant and a lettuce wilted, then died. I spotted a sneaky vile fat white weevil caterpillar at least once under their wilted remains.

(Wikipedia says vine weevil damage is done by the caterpillars in Autumn-Spring - from eggs laid by the aforementioned sweet black mini-beetles).
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So, Liz and PRINTMISS, since I need to replace compost (ideally, organic stuff but not always practical) every 2 or 3 years at least, well, maybe that's not a bad option after all. to you all, its lovely to give bouquets especially to fellow gardeners

Or, VQ, if all else failed, I am up for the nuclear option.

I did that too Liz46 Left the old compost out for the birds to go through, serves the beetle right!

I grow fuchsias and the vine weevils love them. I have tried different ways of getting rid of the weevils and have found the best way is changing the compost and washing the roots in early spring before the eggs hatch.

I felt that about lily beetles until they started to damage my lilies. Now I just nuke them as I see them.

Thanks VQ. I have done some googling about them and found several options. I want to take the organic route (root?) but may change my mind. My original plan was to change all the soil, wash all the roots, shake all the shrubs and replant (about 12 pots, varying sizes, + a number of lettuces in a mini-plastic-greenhouse). That was before I googled.

Funny thing is that I have seen the beetles - little matt-black things, not unlike ladybirds - and thought they were quite sweet! (Not now, though .)

Have a look at the RHS site. It gives you a range of options depending on whether you are an organic gardener or want to nuke the little blighters. I'm a nuker ever time

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=234