vine weevils

The trouble with nematodes is that you don't know if they are working or not! So, you use nematodes and there are no vine weevils in the pots - would there have been if you had not used nematodes?
I don't bother and try to keep a close eye on the foliage of pot plants watching for sudden wilting.

But is it not too late when you get the sudden wilting ???

If you catch it early enough the weevil have only eaten some of the roots. The plant can be cleaned up and repotted in fresh compost and will grow on satisfactorily. Of course, it is better if the weevils had not attacked in the first place but I have a large number of pots and only have occaisional weevil problems.

I had a bad infestation of vine weevils a couple of years ago and found a propretary liquid vine weevil killer got rid of them, so this year I watered my pots with it as soon as the plants were established and I haven't had any trouble. It might be just luck but I don't think so.

Nematodes are next to useless when they could possibly do the most good for the gardener. . .

Weevils will happily munch through the roots of your plants at any temperature above freezing. Obviously the warmer it is the faster they eat!! Unfortunately, the nematodes are effectively inactive below 10C. Which could easily leave your plants defenceless for much of an English winter if you use them.

If you don't use chemicals your best defence is keen observation as Bulbaholic suggests. Although when your foliage begins to show obvious signs of distress it is very often too late for THAT particular plant and all you can do is take some cuttings - if the season is right.....