Just Arrived
Beneficial Nematodes

Your nematodes
are here.

Microscopic predators — millions of them, in one small package

If the ice pack arrived warm and melted, don’t worry — that’s normal, and your nematodes are fine. Here’s how to store them, mix them, and get them into the soil.

What do I do first? ↓
WhatNematodes
Apply toSoil
StoreFridge
From All of Us at FGMN

They made it.
Thank you.

Millions of microscopic predators just shipped their way to your door — and you picked living biocontrol over a bottle of something nasty. That’s genuinely the good choice, and we’re glad you made it.

They’re tougher than they look. Let’s get them stored right, then into the soil where the pests are.

First, the Melted Ice Pack

The ice pack melted?
Good.

The ice pack almost always arrives melted, and that worries people — but your nematodes are alive and well. Here’s the science on why warmth doesn’t hurt them, and why we still ship and store them cold.

01

They ship in a resting stage. The nematodes you received are “infective juveniles” — a tough, non-feeding survival stage that lives off its own stored energy reserves. It’s built to ride out exactly this kind of trip.

02

Cold slows them down on purpose. At fridge temperatures their metabolism nearly idles, so they barely burn through those reserves. That’s how a living product gets weeks of shelf life — the cold is a pause button, not life support.

03

Warmth just wakes them up. A warm package speeds their metabolism back up — it doesn’t kill them. What they actually can’t handle is sustained heat (think a hot mailbox for days) or freezing solid. A melted ice pack is neither.

Bottom line: a warm, melted ice pack on arrival is expected and harmless. Pop them in the fridge and they’ll happily go back to sleep until you’re ready.

Start Here

Mix them up,
water them in.

The whole job is: stir the nematodes into water and pour that water onto the soil. There’s no precise recipe to get wrong.

  1. Use any amount of water
    This is the part people overthink: the amount of water doesn’t matter. The water is just a delivery vehicle — a watering can, a bucket, a sprayer, whatever you’ve got. Use enough to comfortably cover the soil you’re treating. You can’t over-dilute them.
  2. Stir, and keep stirring
    Mix the nematodes into room-temperature water and stir well so they stay suspended — they sink, so give it a swirl as you go. Skip any fine filters or screens on your watering can or sprayer; they’ll strain the nematodes right out.
  3. Drench the soil — and keep it damp
    Pour evenly over the soil or potting mix where the pests live. Water the pot before and after applying, and keep the soil moist for a few days — nematodes travel through films of water, so damp soil is how they hunt. Apply in the evening or out of direct sun.
Totally Normal

You won’t see them.
That’s normal.

Nematodes are invisible to the naked eye, so there’s nothing to “look healthy” on arrival. Here are the things that worry people most — and why none of them are a problem.

“The ice pack was warm and melted.”
Expected, and harmless. They ship in a tough resting stage and only need cold for storage, not survival. Into the fridge they go.
“I can’t see anything in there.”
You’re not supposed to — they’re microscopic. A sponge, gel, or powder that looks like “nothing” can hold millions of them. Trust the count on the label.
“How much water do I use?”
Whatever’s convenient. The water is just a carrier — the ratio doesn’t change the dose. Cover the soil evenly and you’re done.
If You’re Not Using Them Today

Storing them:
fridge now, soil later.

No time to apply right away? Pop the package straight into the refrigerator — not the freezer — in the main compartment, not the door. The cold slows their metabolism so they conserve energy and stay viable.

Plan to use them within about one to two weeks for the strongest results. They’re living organisms burning slowly through their reserves, so fresher is always better — but there’s no need to rush out and apply them the minute they land. The fridge buys you the time.

KH Hint
The single most common mistake is letting the soil dry out after applying. Nematodes swim through the thin film of water around soil particles to hunt — if the soil dries, they can’t move, and they can’t hunt. Water the pot before and after you apply, then keep it damp (not waterlogged) for several days. Evening applications beat midday ones, since these guys are sensitive to UV and heat.
— Karen
The Next Few Weeks

What happens
over the next few weeks.

Nematodes work underground and out of sight, so this is a quiet kind of pest control. Here’s the honest progression so you know it’s working even when there’s nothing to watch.

Days 1–3
They go hunting

Once in moist soil, the infective juveniles start actively searching for pest larvae. There’s nothing to see — this all happens at a microscopic scale, below the surface. Your only job is keeping the soil damp.

Week 1–2
The pest population drops

As nematodes find and infect their targets, you’ll notice the payoff above ground — for fungus gnats, fewer adults flying up when you water; for soil grubs, less new damage. It’s subtraction, not spectacle.

Week 2–3+
They keep cycling

Nematodes can reproduce inside the pests they kill, so a single application keeps working as long as there are hosts and the soil stays moist. Once the pests are gone, the population naturally tapers off.

Heavy infestation, or not seeing a dent after a few weeks? A second application is completely normal for stubborn cases — send us a note and we’ll help you dial it in.

Field Notes

The basics,
at a glance.

WhatBeneficial nematodes
Apply toSoil / potting mix
Water ratioDoesn’t matter
Melted ice packTotally fine
StorageFridge, not freezer
Use within1–2 weeks
If Shipping Went Sideways

If shipping
goes sideways.

Live shipments mostly arrive happy, but transit isn’t always smooth. Here’s what to do in each case.

A 1–3 day delay

Totally fine. Everything we ship is built to ride out a few extra days in transit — a slightly slow package is not a damaged one. Follow the care steps above and they’ll be ready to go.

Damaged or lost — with AfterShip Protection

If you added AfterShip Protection at checkout, that’s the fastest path: file your claim directly through AfterShip and they’ll take care of you right away.

Damaged or lost — without protection

No protection? Email us at info@fgmnnursery.com and we’ll file a claim with the carrier on your behalf. Heads-up: carrier claims can take up to four weeks to process, and approval is at the carrier’s discretion — we’ll push for you, but we can’t guarantee the outcome.

Want to Stay Ahead?
Keep the
good guys coming.
Shop Nematodes →

A repeat application every few weeks keeps soil pests from rebuilding — especially through fungus gnat and grub season.

We’d Love to Hear From You

Tell us how
it’s going.

Questions, photos, a proud update when the pests are gone — we’re always happy to talk bugs. Drop us a line and we’ll write back.

Prefer email? info@fgmnnursery.com