Remember a few paragraphs ago that I mentioned the importance of water to the first life stage of leatherjackets? Before going ahead with this, you want to ensure they are all out of the lawn, so we would recommend rotovating to expose any left to birds and predators before works go ahead.

These application windows coincide with the larvae being at a young and susceptible life stage and the soil temperature being above 12ºC, which is the minimum point the nematodes are at their most active in the soil. After losing an entire lawn to Leatherjackets in 2016, I started using the Nematode product twice a year. This treatment is made up of plant extracts and nutrients which alleviate damage when the lawn is under attack. Remember, if you mostly wear it around the city, you probably don’t have to clean and condition it for a few years — but no matter how hard it’s worn, your jacket will eventually need some care.Both products provide an invisible barrier to protect against water, oil based stains and everyday wear. For best results apply Nemasys leatherjacket treatment to moist turf areas from early August to late October as this targets the pest early in its life cycle when it is more susceptible to control. I applied Nemasys again a few weeks ago and have seen major improvements since with a green recovery which suggests that part of my problem continued to be leatherjacket infestation rather than just being burnt! Use a soft cloth or brush to buff the leather, which will help to bring out the natural shine and improve the overall appearance.

During the spring window the larvae will have grown to a stage where effective control of any type is significantly reduced. If you get caught in the rain, you don’t want to put your jacket in the heat to let it dry,” Schott warns.Neatsfoot oil: Made from the rendered shin and feet bones of cattle, this all natural product is best known for saddlery but is a great lightweight conditioner. Work it into the jacket using a clean cloth or sponge, then let it soak for 20 minutes and wipe away any excess with a second clean cloth or sponge. UV light damages leather just as it damages our skin and prolonged exposure to sunlight will dull the shine of a leather jacket.