AusBonsai

Pup wrote:
I am also sure if you approached the person sooner than putting the name on an open forum, it would be much better.

You do leave yourself open to some nasty little litigation.

just my Pup

Not sure what you mean pup? Was this directed at me?

Ahh Soil mixes, you got to love em.

Bio, I would dare say Pup was making reference to a fruedian slip in the first post mate. I do get exactly where he comes from as sometimes something genuinely innocent can start a wildfire.

Cheers

David

ps I too like diatomite but I have only used the Maidenwell stuff, when I run out of that I might have to try the Mt Silvia stuff.

TIMEOUT GUYS !!!! Ken only mentioned that the tree wasn't in his own mix - I can't see anywhere where he said the tree came with curl grubs. He did say he bought it a year ago so the inference I got was that the curl grubs came after he got the tree home.

Ohhhhh, yeah they could have come from anywhere.

Pests are a part of life, best thing to do is squash them and move on.

Pup wrote:I would not be too worried about the substrate, as to those CURL grubs and where they come from would be a worry though.

Cheers Pup

the Grubs come from the many beetles we have in Sydney. Literally thousand of them every year. Dig up any garden in the west of sydney and you will find lots of them.
they land on the soil surface and lay their eggs. Diatomite ( or any other sharp particles) in high enough concentrations they will not lay eggs in. ( or if they do they are not viable)
Akadama / Kanuma does not get them either.

I was to put a plant into fresh organic mix (does not matter where it comes from), and leave for a season on my bench, the pot will be infested with them. I do not know of anyone at the School that does not get lots of them when they repot.

Ken

Biofusion wrote:Ohhhhh, yeah they could have come from anywhere.

Pests are a part of life, best thing to do is squash them and move on.

Problem is the first thing you notice is when you repot or when the tree falls out of the put due to no roots being left. If you just do the repot and not bare root the tree, you may well leave some up under the trunk / root mass. Next thing you know it turns up its toes.
Happened several times to me.

Ken

My concern was. Curl grubs, and the name were mentioned in the same post. Which could mean some inference.

Just pointing out, what has caused some concerns in the past, of the same people.

My mix is well documented here on AusBonsai.

Cheers Pup

Ps I have never had a curl grub of any discription, so my knowledge of them is limited to what I read on the forums.

I use course sand mixed with potting mix, 50:50. Would that keep the grubs out?

Beano wrote:I use course sand mixed with potting mix, 50:50. Would that keep the grubs out?

If you sprayed it with rogor. Maybe?

But probably not without the rogor.

Squizz

PS please dont spray you plants with rogor based on this post

Rats. Oh well I'll keep an eye out for my trees turning wobbly in their pots.

Beano wrote:Rats. Oh well I'll keep an eye out for my trees turning wobbly in their pots.

Try 25% sharp gravel 3-5mm in your mix i use crushed river pebbles lately an havent seen any so far but dont think they are much trouble in SA tho

Beano. Just because your soil won't keep them out doesn't mean you will get them.

Btw. My plants get wobbly in the pots but its not always because of curl grubs. My care can be just as devastating.

Squizz

I know. I'm just at that stage where I am happy most of my trees haven't died yet and I'll be so miffed if one does and it's because of grubs and I didn't realize. I haven't seen any of those beetles at my place in Brisbane but when I get back to cairns they're everywhere.

Ha grubs we get more growth than a banyan with grubs up in darwin hehe
No I'm serious

Pup wrote:
Ps I have never had a curl grub of any discription, so my knowledge of them is limited to what I read on the forums.

Lucky fella!