Milky Spoor or Beneficial Nematodes

[Kanada]

My raised garden beds are infested with white grubs! I see a number of the shiny green and bronze adult Japanese beetles around and they could be the larvae of other beetles too but I have the feeling it’s the Japanese version!

Everything grows well but one day something not looking right and things go downhill from that point….flowers die and even my beans which were splendid and pricing so well all of a sudden dying back slowly!

In any case anyone have any opinions on the milky spoor or beneficial nematodes I’ve read about and where can I buy in the ChiangMai area? 

[drtreelove]

The short answer is, I haven't seen Milky Spore or nematodes offered for sale in Thailand, even at an ag shop I use near MaeJo University, which carries more organic program materials than most, but that doesn't mean they are not out there, search the online retailers.

 

Try "green maskaradine fungus"  Metarhizium anisopliae, for biological control of the grubs.  

 

The longer answer, excuse my preaching, is try to look at the bigger picture and how to promote condtions that will naturally control pests and build resistance.  A biologically active soil already has a multitude of beneficial bacteria and fungi, nematodes, micro arthropods, etc that keep things in balance. Read "Teaming With Microbes" or see the wealth of YouTube videos, especially Soil-Food-Web subject.  

 

Raised beds don't always have the benefit of established soil biology, depending on what kind of soil or engineered substrate that you have used as a growing medium.  Raised bed and container growers often use sterile medium due to poor drainage with native clayey soils, and fear of soil borne pathogens, but in so doing they set up a situation where you have to introduce/inoculate with beneficials, or suffer the consequences of trying to keep up with the deficiencies and imblances with guess work, always searching for a curative product.  Soil-less, clay-deficient substrates usually do not have good nutrient holding capacity and often drain too fast and leach nutrients.  High NPK chemical fertilizers are harmful to the soil biology. 

 

 

[Kanada]

38 minutes ago, drtreelove said:

The short answer is, I haven't seen Milky Spore or nematodes offered for sale in Thailand, even at an ag shop I use near MaeJo University, which carries more organic program materials than most, but that doesn't mean they are not out there, search the online retailers.

 

Try "green maskaradine fungus"  Metarhizium anisopliae, for biological control of the grubs.  

 

The longer answer, excuse my preaching, is try to look at the bigger picture and how to promote condtions that will naturally control pests and build resistance.  A biologically active soil already has a multitude of beneficial bacteria and fungi, nematodes, micro arthropods, etc that keep things in balance. Read "Teaming With Microbes" or see the wealth of YouTube videos, especially Soil-Food-Web subject.  

 

Raised beds don't always have the benefit of established soil biology, depending on what kind of soil or engineered substrate that you have used as a growing medium.  Raised bed and container growers often use sterile medium due to poor drainage with native clayey soils, and fear of soil borne pathogens, but in so doing they set up a situation where you have to introduce/inoculate with beneficials, or suffer the consequences of trying to keep up with the deficiencies and imblances with guess work, always searching for a curative product.  Soil-less, clay-deficient substrates usually do not have good nutrient holding capacity and often drain too fast and leach nutrients.  High NPK chemical fertilizers are harmful to the soil biology. 

 

 

My soil is from under a 50 year old or older tree mixed with some old cow manure and 10% sand!

Lots of worms etc. but we have a ton of these Japanese beetles and/or the grubs (eggs) were already in the soil I moved from under the tree.

Just the advice on the Milky Spoor would have sufficed!!!

Thanks for that part of the sermon