Fw: CULT: Siberians (from SIBROB)

I'm the one who started the current nematodes thread. Sorry to've
left it dangling; I've been offscreen. Here is a precis, with my
replies at the bottom.
----------------------------------------------------------------------



Paige Woodward, Pacific Rim Native Plants:

> I am about to dose these iris and a lot else with beneficial
> nematodes -- Steinernema. I used them on a small scale last
year and
> am persuaded that they really do help to keep borers at bay by
eating
> their larvae. We also interplant rows of marigolds among our
> vegetables to drive "bad" nematodes from the soil. Do any of
the rest
> of you use either of these remedies?
---------------------------
John Montgomery, Monashee Perennials:

> > Are you sure that you have borers? I have never seen them and I
have been
> > under the impression that they do not occur in the West. Please
say it ain't so!
-------------------------- 
Rick Tasco, Superstition Iris Gardens:
> 
> I'll say it ain't so.  Iris borers do not occur west of the
Rockies, at
> least at last check they did not.  Maybe Paige has cutworms and the
> Steinernema would certainly help.  I would like to know from other
> members just where they start "east of the Rockies".
> 
> Also I can't believe that Paige has any more nematodes than we have
here
> in Ca.  I have never done anything specific to control them other
than
> my normal culture.
> 
> I would like to know what prompted Paige to purchase these
Steinernema?
-------------------------- 
John Montgomery:

>Thanks, that makes me feel much better!
>
>Question - Do we not have borers because they will not live here or
is it
>simply the case that they have not arrived as yet?
---------------------------
To John Montgomery: I think you are right. Iris borers aren't found
west of the Rockies. Why, I don't know. (Any entomologists out
there?) Being from west of the Rockies, I used "borers" in a casual
sense to embrace all insects and worms that spend time in the soil
and chomp on plants. This was highly inappropriate in a group on
permanent red alert for iris borers. :-)

To Rick Tasco: The pests that I treat with nematodes at this nursery 

include assorted weevils, wireworms, loopers and the crane fly. Iris
are less vulnerable to these pests than some of the other native
plants we grow, but it's easy -- verging on necessary -- to treat the
whole nursery at one go. 

Marigolds in the vegetable garden to combat bad nematodes was plainly
OT . If you have nifty advice to offer about cultural practices,
though, fire away.

Back to beneficial nematodes. As I expect you know, these nematodes
find, penetrate and poison grubs in the soil. What made me decide to
use them is that they work pretty well and, unlike such drastic
measures as solarization and fumigation, they don't destroy
earthworms or other soil biota I may value; nor do they rearrange my
genes. I chose Steinernema from the few spp that are commercially
available because it is relatively broad-spectrum and can be ordered
fast in large quantities. 

Sunshine and hail, this afternoon, back and forth like windshield
wipers. Our setosas have new, 4" leaves; all the other iris are still
pretty ragged looking. 

Paige Woodward
pwoodwar@rapidnet.net
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