Vine weevils

I wouldn’t waste the pots! You have got rid of the evil grubs so should be safe.

I would reuse the pots but also look online for the organic treatment that you can water on. It is a nematode treatment similar to the one often used for slugs and if you follow the instructions it works well.

If you are putting the same plants back into the pots in fresh compost I suggest you drench them with Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer.
If new plants in new compost in well scrubbed pots then you will be fine.

We've discovered the same today in a pot of fuchsias, the pot has been washed with jeyes and the drench is ready.

My worry is they may be everywhere.

Mine too. Where do I bet this magic pour-on weevil eliminator?

I bought the nematodes and they didn't work.

I empty the pots every spring, rinse the roots of my fuchsias under the outside tap and replant in fresh compost. I don't think we can ever get rid of them totally.

It looks like an expensive exercise, I have a lot of pots.

Here we go www.nematodesdirect.co.uk/8-vine-weevil-killer-nematodes Just had an email from them to remind me it’s time to do it again. The Nemaslug is good too. Just don’t think too hard about how it works ?

I did try those nematodes last year but I think they died, because they didn't work. They depend on temperature and we had a cold wet snap the very day after I bought them.
I knew the weather wasn't suitable but I'd stored them the maximum length of time suggested so watered them in anyway.
Would dilute jeye's fluid kill everything, worms etc, as well as weevils? I have seen it recommended, about a teasp to a gallon of water?
I might try it on one pot and see what happens?
Are they likely to be infesting my herbaceous border too? is that why most of my daffs have come up blind this year?

I've had a problem with daffs I the garden, and a battle with vine weevle too. But I've never heard of them eating the roots of bulbs, but who knows?!
I lost my favourite Huchera because I forgot to water in the nematodes last season.

So they worked for you Namsnanny how an you tell? How long before you see signs of improvement?
As I understand it, the daff bulbs will build up this summer for next Spring/s show .... so the fact that we have no flowers this year is because of them not getting enough nourishment last summer?

Depending on how big the pots are, I soak my with diluted bleach in a bucket of boiling water before each replant. As they are tubs, do they have drains holes or can you drench the tub with some bleachy water?

Right, I'll try that too!
So far I've refilled two pots, used Bugkiller weevil killer on two and drenched two with jeyes fluid, done nothing with three, and two are standing empty.
I'll let you know in a few weeks which have been successful.

My DH uses ZEE NO WEEVIL . You put a layer of it on top of your compost and it forms a barrier between adult vine weevils and the soil. He saw it advertised last year in his Green Gardener catalogue and tried it. It was very effective. It is a bit pricey, but worth every penny.

If I find the dreaded VWs in pots, I just chuck the blighters onto the grass and the birds soon gobble them up. Pots are cleaned out with soapy water (just washing up-liquid in warm water) and the job is done.

As a keen gardener , besides my actual garden on 3 levels I have had a great many pots to enable me to grow what does not like my soil, and have always been in fear and dread that the flipping vine weevils would get in. So I usually buy plants when I have visited NGS gardens and from someone who obviously knows and understands their particular plants. However I still quarantine any plants that I bring to my home. I have 2 quite large square trays so that nothing can go through into the ground. carefully check plants when I get them home. keep checking them daily for at least 2 weeks and carefully take them out of the pots to check if in any doubt. Then I usually transfer them to some of my previously well washed out with domestos pots and allowed to dry pots. I put fresh new compost into these pots and very carefully take most of the soil from around the plant and then replant them into the new compost. Then I still place them in the new pots on tray on the gravel as far away as possible from already planted pots or borders. So far, so good. However as these seem to be spreading more around the country I still think that to keep bugs and anything dreadful at bay, the best we can do is 1. read before buying if possible the best possibilities for this new plant, checking whether it wants a lot of water or very little. Then with new compost you are giving it the best chance to survive and do well. If a plant looks sickly and you have neither had a fierce wind or freezing conditions treat it with suspicion. Lift from the pot over newspaper on a tray well away from all the good looking plants. However sad it is if it looks the slightest bit weak or dodgy put into bag, carefully sweeping up any of the compost and put it into the dustbin NOT into your compost bin. If it keeps happening, you may have to accept that yours is either a problem area or the specific plants you are growing may be prone to damage by these weevils and you may need to look up and find a plant that is less likely to be damaged by it and trial and error until you find a new plant to enjoy! It is very important to check what water your plants need. for example I grew 2 large pots full of beautiful mecanopsis betonisifolia. by using erecatious compost and then only watered them with butt water , Never tap water. I was told that I would not be able to grow them well etc and they gave me so much joy as they came out well and were the most beautiful blue colour. Another tip is , when you have checked what sort of water your plants need I begin by having a group of plants in individual pots and then group them together with differing leaf forms and shapes giving an interesting combination whilst you then know that all group a need butt water only, and group b can have tap water. Then when you feel you know what wants what you can mix the groups up to make a specific display for an open garden etc. Happy gardening, listen to gardeners question time and enjoy your garden, the most cheering and soothing place to be at this time. Feel annoyed with the news? get the secateurs out and do some pruning! cant sleep? go outside with a chair and sit and keep warm whilst watching the birds and making up possible ideas for next years garden.

Nematodes have worked for me. My big pots of hostas are prone to them but I have just split one and there wasn’t a single grub. Now to start on slugs ...