killer nematodes in plants?

[JohnDapiaoen]

Just wondering, I read somewhere that insect killing nematodes are sometimes placed in plant soil to keep pests away. so how safe would it be to buy pothos plants for T enclosures? I'm planning on redoing some of my enclosures with live plants but I don't want to risk anything.

 

[philge]

I just stick with taking cuttings from my plants and growing them in my own soil specifically to use in T enclosures.

 

[JohnDapiaoen]

Not a bad idea, do you grow the cuttings in the T enclosure or grow them out before planting them? also what about precaution of insecticide? is a thorough wash good enough?

 

[philge]

Not a bad idea, do you grow the cuttings in the T enclosure or grow them out before planting them? also what about precaution of insecticide? is a thorough wash good enough?

The only plant I've been using in the T enclosures is Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus). It does pretty well in low light conditions, and is quite hardy. I'm still pretty new to using live plants, but I've been successful for several months now. I have a large mother plant that I take cuttings from and I've had the plant long enough that it has been flushed with many waterings. I'm pretty sure that if pesticides were used, they'd be washed away by now.

I take the cuttings and root them in small plastic pots. I then set them in a windowsill for a few weeks until I know that they've rooted well. I put the plant into the T enclosure while it's still in the pot and then cover it with a layer of rocks, and then a layer of Eco Earth to make it blend with the landscape. The pot is still there to contain the plant, but it's not visible. The soil that the plant is in still has fertilizers in it, but the rocks prevent the T from digging down into the plant. I make sure to put the water bowl in such a position that I can simply overflow it which refreshes the T's water and drains the old water to the plant.

 

[The Snark]

From what I have read, the toxin in green potatoes (and other members of the nightshade family), Solanine is extremely efficient at killing nematodes and the reason why the potato plant produces these toxins. But how to handle that toxin in a terrarium environment would require experimentation. And yes, Solanine is a pretty powerful biocide and needs to be controlled and respected.