Thank you for the info & link. Justaguy, you might want to reconsider your position on nematodes, as I did apply them this spring, and I am certain they made quite a difference, by comparing my garden to that of my neighbors. Kissmsr, I thank you for your diligent reply to many posts on this forum. I have gained much knowledge from reading this forum over the past few months, & you seem to have many of the answers. I among many others have benefitted from your experience, though i wonder how you have the time to do it all!

So here is an update. I did buy beneficial nematodes. First batch was the Steinerneima Feltiae from Amazon (Scanmask is the company). Weeks later I see no difference. I even set up a rubbermaid 18 gallon bin filled with 4-5 inches of compost that was moist and used the remainder of the beneficial nematodes mixed in the compost well and then I introduced several grubs and mealworms expecting them to be dead in 48 hours or so. Weeks later the worms are still alive and so are the grubs, so I am guessing the beneficial nematodes weren't even alive. Before I saw the lack of results from the first batch, I bought 2 other varieties from buglogical.com (Heterohabditis and the Steinernema Carpocapsae). With the 3 different strains of Beneficial Nematodes I was expecting joy but several weeks later I still see no difference. With these 3 varieties I should not still see ant mounds or slugs or the grubs. By the way I ordered 50 million of the last 2 varieties in which they claim 50 million would cover a half acre. The area I treated was less than 1/10 of an acre, heck probably 200 square feet. Using 2 of the 50 million batches is would effectively cover a whole acre and I still don't see results in a small 200 sq foot area which tells me these things weren't alive. I also started 2 other containers with compost and added 2 different strains in each container and added mealworms and grubs and they werent dead within 2 or 3 days and are still alive today over 2 weeks later, again telling me the beneficial nematodes were not alive. So to make a long story short $200 spent and no results. Very disappointed.

Strawberryhill, thanks for the link..I've actually been thinking about putting up a bat house, but would have trouble getting it high enough off the ground, since I'm afraid of heights! Since the 'Forestry Commission' is using nematodes to combat midge, I am feeling hopeful that perhaps this will help next year. I really, really missed my roses this summer! Judith

Earthworms have an extensive tunneling system. The hotter it gets up top, the deeper they go into the ground. That is a major reason that they are not used in vermicomposting. Things like nematodes and grubworms are generally in the same spot for life, or close to it, and they are cooked, so to speak. If you pull a plant where you have nematodes, you will know it. The roots are not pretty; rather, they are gnarled, with big galls and knots on them. Beneficial nematodes are different from the regular nematodes that need killing. Janie