root knot nematodes
 

I need a new way to combat rootknot nematodes in my hot and sandy soil.
The best thing I have found is sorghum as a summer cover crop. It either
kills or repels the little devils but the roots are big and tough and hard to
till under. Sesame seems to suppress them but struggles in the summer heat.
Any non-chemical miracle cures?

Alot of articles on steam soil sterilization.Expensive,reamending the soil after.A farmer down here has developed his own rig and says it does the trick for nemos and soil fungas and bacterias.

I am intrigued by nematophagous fungi, though haven't used them. There was a mushroom company (Fungi Perfecti) that had spores for sale that you'd work into your garden. (Can't seem to find the site now.) This type of fungi actively kills nematodes. Here's a cool video on how they do so:
[URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n04wCkIpuQ[/URL]

lots of organic matter and marigolds works for me.

Unfortunately there is no non-chemical miracle cure for root knot nematodes (RKNs) other than perhaps sterilizing your soil which will also kill beneficial nematodes and other microorganism. I'm plagued with these buggers too and believe that if I can build healthy soil containing huge quantities of organic matter and beneficial microorganism I'll have them under control someday. Meanwhile, I try and grow things that are resistant to or less susceptible to RKNs and I'm constantly on the lookout for such things to plant to include cover crops.

[QUOTE=jerryinfla;310062]Unfortunately there is no non-chemical miracle cure for root knot nematodes (RKNs) other than perhaps sterilizing your soil which will also kill beneficial nematodes and other microorganism. I'm plagued with these buggers too and believe that if I can build healthy soil containing huge quantities of organic matter and beneficial microorganism I'll have them under control someday. Meanwhile, I try and grow things that are resistant to or less susceptible to RKNs and I'm constantly on the lookout for such things to plant to include cover crops.[/QUOTE]

Jerry,
Have you seriously tried marigolds a couple years? I know you know how to add organic matter. I bet you have great soil. But have you ever tried a serious companion planting campaign? I don't mean planting a marigold on the corners and hoping they magically cure the whole garden. I mean interplanting a variety of species all through the garden to the degree that at times some people may wonder what is the real crop and what are the companions? Each adding to it's neighbor to the point they all grow like a jungle? I generally try marigolds basil and cilantro with tomatoes. (sometimes rosemary too but never rosemary with basil) I also have a few things like Borage I grow throughout the garden in all the crops. But I space the flowers and herbs very very closely. 10 inches or less. Lets face it. Generally lack of sun isn't the problem in Florida, not even in winter. Tomatoes generally eventually out pace the rest anyway.

I have grown in sandy Florida "soil" and while it is impossible to totally eliminate pests there, actuallly there is a very good reason the Spanish named it "the land of flowers". Given the right ecouragement you can generally grow wonderous crops there.

Scott -

No, I've not tried interplanting with marigolds for two years -- yet. I do have one bed now planted with half RKN resistant hybrid tomatoes, half with heirloom tomatoes and interplanted with marigolds. It's my first experiment with interplanting marigolds and I'm only a few months into it. The bed looks like you've described -- a jungle of intertwined tomatoes and marigolds. I'll be pulling the tomatoes when we have our first frost which will probably be before Christmas. At that time, I'll examine roots to determine if I still have RKNs in that bed.

[QUOTE=Redbaron;310084]Jerry,
Have you seriously tried marigolds a couple years? I know you know how to add organic matter. I bet you have great soil. But have you ever tried a serious companion planting campaign? I don't mean planting a marigold on the corners and hoping they magically cure the whole garden. I mean interplanting a variety of species all through the garden to the degree that at times some people may wonder what is the real crop and what are the companions? Each adding to it's neighbor to the point they all grow like a jungle? I generally try marigolds basil and cilantro with tomatoes. (sometimes rosemary too but never rosemary with basil) I also have a few things like Borage I grow throughout the garden in all the crops. But I space the flowers and herbs very very closely. 10 inches or less. Lets face it. Generally lack of sun isn't the problem in Florida, not even in winter. Tomatoes generally eventually out pace the rest anyway.

I have grown in sandy Florida "soil" and while it is impossible to totally eliminate pests there, actuallly there is a very good reason the Spanish named it "the land of flowers". Given the right ecouragement you can generally grow wonderous crops there.[/QUOTE]

I grow Dwarf French Marigold every year because I love the
flower. If I plant these all over around my tomatoes. I think
the tomatoes would cover them all up, and they wouldn't get
enough sun, but I'm going to try it anyway.
If anyone wants some seeds, I have a whole bunch.

[URL=http://s663.photobucket.com/albums/uu359/lrgarden/?action=view&current=DSC_0215.jpg][IMG]http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu359/lrgarden/th_DSC_0215.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[QUOTE=jerryinfla;310093]Scott -

No, I've not tried interplanting with marigolds for two years -- yet. I do have one bed now planted with half RKN resistant hybrid tomatoes, half with heirloom tomatoes and interplanted with marigolds. It's my first experiment with interplanting marigolds and I'm only a few months into it. The bed looks like you've described -- a jungle of intertwined tomatoes and marigolds. I'll be pulling the tomatoes when we have our first frost which will probably be before Christmas. At that time, I'll examine roots to determine if I still have RKNs in that bed.[/QUOTE]

One tip I have. Generally it is better to grow dwarfs. I usually grow French dwarf marigolds. [I]Tagetes patula[/I] This lets me plant more without the Marigolds themselves becomming a "weed". I generally loose from 25% to 50% of my marigolds to being "crowded out" by my main crop. For example the 4 foot tall cauliflower in my garden with 3 foot leaves long ago crowded out all the beneficial companion plants that I had planted beside it. But that's good too. If the marigold or other companion plant dies, it starts decomposing in the roots, providing a later release of nutrients to the tomato or cauliflower or whatever that crowded it out. I also plant a solid "border" of marigolds to prevent nematodes from migrating in from other areas. Also don't plant marigold in your beans due to the antimicrobial [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiophenes"]thiophenes[/URL] in the roots. It is sometimes hard to explain to someone not used to this particular permaculture method. It's more like music, but based on science. We use anti pest and anti microbials where they reduce disease and pests, but simultaneously promote other beneficial bacteria and "critters" of every type. Over do any one side of the equation and it generally bounces back to slap you in the face. But take a balanced approach and the benefits are spectacular.

I will try to take pictures next year. Just remember one thing. Often what triggers a companion plant's beneficial effects is trauma. So never be afraid to trim back those marigolds and give flowers to your sweety. Generously trim the basil and add it to your cooking. Be sure to cut plenty of borage to add to salads or make german green sauce. Never let the companions become the main crop. And yet while making sure they don't get too unrully you are actually havesting a crop from them. Meanwhile the companions feel under attack and produce the plant chemical warfare that benefits your tomatoes! Or they attract beneficial bees with flowers, attract predators looking for the pest that is "eating them" etc.... Or they "warn" surrounding plants and trigger their responces. It even goes deeper. There are even proven interactions between plants and beneficial bacteria & fungus that can be triggered.

All this is proven scientifically, yet what we know scientifically is just the tip of the iceberg. It is very difficult to reduce the complex web of interactions into a single product system for scientific study, which of course tends to like reductionism to remove confounding factors.

One thing however that absolutely has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt scientifically and under strict peer review, as well as in the field by real people......Marigolds do kill RKN. They wont kill them all, and it may take more than one season to reduce them to low enough levels not to reduce productivity, but this isn't an old wives tale. It is real.

I better stop now before I get too preachy or ramble too much. :?:

I am very confident your experiment will be a success and I truely wish you the very best.

[QUOTE=roper2008;310107]I grow Dwarf French Marigold every year because I love the
flower. If I plant these all over around my tomatoes. I think
the tomatoes would cover them all up, and they wouldn't get
enough sun, but I'm going to try it anyway.
If anyone wants some seeds, I have a whole bunch.

[URL="http://s663.photobucket.com/albums/uu359/lrgarden/?action=view&current=DSC_0215.jpg"][IMG]http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu359/lrgarden/th_DSC_0215.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/QUOTE]

Agreed! If you look at the long winded post above you'll see that also has it's benefits too.

[URL]http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/beneficial-nematodes[/URL] this is a good company for treatment... they explain the different types on the site. I get some things from them and they are a good company, but I haven't tried the good nematodes.
I also read about using asparagus stalks to make a tea to drench the root zone of tomato plants.. thought I might try it just to see next spring... my sandy soil has concentrations where one plant will have horrible roots and the tomato next to it won't .. also I'm trying some of the university of Hawaii tomatoes that are nematodes resistant. Evidently Hawaii soil is full of them also.

[URL]http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/nematodes.htm[/URL] Probaly stuff here that was already adressed but what I did not know is that nematodes actually "travel".This article mentions barriers(metal?)up to twelve inches deep around the raised beds.This I never heard of.

Nematodes and cowpea cover crop (resistance varies with cultivar
and nematodes eventually adapt):
[url]http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in516[/url]

Other nematode resistant cover crops:
[url]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2620786/[/url]

Environmental requirements of sunnhemp (grown in summer):
[url]http://ucanr.org/sites/asi/db/covercrops.cfm?crop_id=40[/url]

One would use most of these like marigolds, but grown in between
actual crops rather than interplanted with them. I imagine that
turning the top growth of sunnhemp under would require some
equipment. If your equipment is a shovel, probably better to mulch
with the harvested top growth and turn it under after it breaks down.

Interesting video! Have heard alot of talk here about them but never really understood what they/it was.

[QUOTE=matereater;310183]Interesting video! Have heard alot of talk here about them but never really understood what they/it was.[/QUOTE]

Oh believe me! I know from experience first hand. If you ever develop a nematode problem, you'll never forget. They can be incredibly destructive. Generally people tend to get them (if they do) a couple years after starting a new garden. Very big problem in parts of Florida.

Scott, don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a companion plant thet thwarts whitefly? Tremendously large problem here.
-Marsha

[QUOTE=ginger2778;310209]Scott, don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a companion plant thet thwarts whitefly? Tremendously large problem here.
-Marsha[/QUOTE] Yes Marsha, there are several.

Whiteflies are not easy though, mostly because solving your own whitefly problem doesn't stop a neighbors whiteflies from spilling over anyway. They do fly after all.

The number one most effective whitefly companion plant is anything that attracts hummingbirds. So that means a whole host of potential flowering trees shrubs and annuals to make sure there is a favorite hummingbird flower blooming at all times. You also need hummingbird feeders and hummingbird nest sites. Best if you can turn it into a community project. If you can figure out a way to get a large concentrated healthy breeding population of hummingbirds in the neighborhood, your severe whitefly problem will be over. You will still have some of course, but not a plague like many places currently have. Zinnias are an annual that some hummingbirds like. There are many others and zinnias don't necessarily have to be right in the tomato patch, but they can be, they get along well with tomatoes.

The advantage is that nectar is energy rich but lacks full nutrients. It's a little known fact that hummingbirds are actually very adept hunters of small flying insects like gnats mosquitos fruitflies and their favorite? You guessed it..:yes:..whiteflies. That's how they get the rest of their nutrition that nectar and pollen doesn't provide.

There are of course other types of whitefly predators like dragonflies too. They live in and around healthy ponds. But make sure any mosquito control methods used on the ponds are not poisoning the dragonfly population too.

Bats too after the sun goes down.

But of course whiteflies are not always flying around .... obviously. They like to hide on the underside of leaves. Ladybugs eat them there, just like they eat aphids.

Lots of things have whitefly on the menue, that's why whiteflies breed so fast.

Now for your own garden:
Cilantro, Borage, and Thyme repel whiteflies.

Borage is a companion plant to almost everything, but it does get pretty big sometimes and could shade out things if you let it get too big. I just try to keep mine well eaten! :)) Good in salads.

Cilantro does get big but it changes to lacy foliage when it bolts, so it doesn't cause problems with shading. You can squeeze it right in close as you want. I still try to keep it well eaten :)) but in my salsas:yes: I actually like how the lacy foliage provides some shade in the hot Oklahoma sun. I get fruit set a week or two longer before the heat gets just too much.

Thyme works as a companion plant for your brassicas like cabbage and broccoli better, so I dont plant it in the tomatoes. But it does repel whiteflies.


Last but not least is nasturtiums. They actually attract whiteflies (and aphids too). It is a companion crop technique to plant things that the whiteflies like better than your food crops in a place nearby but not directly in the same rows. This is called a trap crop. Your whiteflies will avoid the tomatoes due to all the repellent herbs planted there and attack the nasturtiums instead. But nasturtiums also attract hoards of predator insects too!

MUAHAHAHAHA :twisted:

The thing about this whole technique of gardening is that most these things by themselves are only so so effective. No matter how repellent those herbs are, they don't kill whitefies, just deter them somewhat. They will still attack unless they have an easier target available as a trap. And attracting them to a trap crop wont do much unless there are predators around to kill them there. And hummingbirds and other insects are never going to eat all of them or even slow them down much, if they are not concentrated at a trap crop. And you won't have predators unless you care for their needs too. So that is why the quote in my signature. It sounds somewhat philosophical and even dogmatic, but in truth, it actually is practical real world advise. You really do have to look at the system as a whole.

And btw, lets say at first for a few seasons you haven't got enough predators to eat them. Then you can take extra safe measures to controll them at the trap crop yourself. Maybe buy a biological spray that is harmless to predators like [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauveria_bassiana"][I]Beauveria bassiana[/I][/URL]? Maybe even try to create a plague of disease yourself by capturing several with a fine butterfly net and fermenting them. Then spraying the homemade concoction on the trap crop? With a vaccuum even you can be the predator!

muahahaha :twisted: Die Whiteflies!

Good Luck

PS Pesticide use is directly responcible for the whitefly plague. So avoid pesticides as much as humanly possible.

[QUOTE=Redbaron;310234]Yes Marsha, there are several.

Whiteflies are not easy though, mostly because solving your own whitefly problem doesn't stop a neighbors whiteflies from spilling over anyway. They do fly after all.

The number one most effective whitefly companion plant is anything that attracts hummingbirds. So that means a whole host of potential flowering trees shrubs and annuals to make sure there is a favorite hummingbird flower blooming at all times. You also need hummingbird feeders and hummingbird nest sites. Best if you can turn it into a community project. If you can figure out a way to get a large concentrated healthy breeding population of hummingbirds in the neighborhood, your severe whitefly problem will be over. You will still have some of course, but not a plague like many places currently have. Zinnias are an annual that some hummingbirds like. There are many others and zinnias don't necessarily have to be right in the tomato patch, but they can be, they get along well with tomatoes.

The advantage is that nectar is energy rich but lacks full nutrients. It's a little known fact that hummingbirds are actually very adept hunters of small flying insects like gnats mosquitos fruitflies and their favorite? You guessed it..:yes:..whiteflies. That's how they get the rest of their nutrition that nectar and pollen doesn't provide.

There are of course other types of whitefly predators like dragonflies too. They live in and around healthy ponds. But make sure any mosquito control methods used on the ponds are not poisoning the dragonfly population too.

Bats too after the sun goes down.

But of course whiteflies are not always flying around .... obviously. They like to hide on the underside of leaves. Ladybugs eat them there, just like they eat aphids.

Lots of things have whitefly on the menue, that's why whiteflies breed so fast.

Now for your own garden:
Cilantro, Borage, and Thyme repel whiteflies.

Borage is a companion plant to almost everything, but it does get pretty big sometimes and could shade out things if you let it get too big. I just try to keep mine well eaten! :)) Good in salads.

Cilantro does get big but it changes to lacy foliage when it bolts, so it doesn't cause problems with shading. You can squeeze it right in close as you want. I still try to keep it well eaten :)) but in my salsas:yes: I actually like how the lacy foliage provides some shade in the hot Oklahoma sun. I get fruit set a week or two longer before the heat gets just too much.

Thyme works as a companion plant for your brassicas like cabbage and broccoli better, so I dont plant it in the tomatoes. But it does repel whiteflies.


Last but not least is nasturtiums. They actually attract whiteflies (and aphids too). It is a companion crop technique to plant things that the whiteflies like better than your food crops in a place nearby but not directly in the same rows. This is called a trap crop. Your whiteflies will avoid the tomatoes due to all the repellent herbs planted there and attack the nasturtiums instead. But nasturtiums also attract hoards of predator insects too!

MUAHAHAHAHA :twisted:

The thing about this whole technique of gardening is that most these things by themselves are only so so effective. No matter how repellent those herbs are, they don't kill whitefies, just deter them somewhat. They will still attack unless they have an easier target available as a trap. And attracting them to a trap crop wont do much unless there are predators around to kill them there. And hummingbirds and other insects are never going to eat all of them or even slow them down much, if they are not concentrated at a trap crop. And you won't have predators unless you care for their needs too. So that is why the quote in my signature. It sounds somewhat philosophical and even dogmatic, but in truth, it actually is practical real world advise. You really do have to look at the system as a whole.

And btw, lets say at first for a few seasons you haven't got enough predators to eat them. Then you can take extra safe measures to controll them at the trap crop yourself. Maybe buy a biological spray that is harmless to predators like [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauveria_bassiana"][I]Beauveria bassiana[/I][/URL]? Maybe even try to create a plague of disease yourself by capturing several with a fine butterfly net and fermenting them. Then spraying the homemade concoction on the trap crop? With a vaccuum even you can be the predator!

muahahaha :twisted: Die Whiteflies!

Good Luck

PS Pesticide use is directly responcible for the whitefly plague. So avoid pesticides as much as humanly possible.[/QUOTE]
Wow Scott, thats great stuff. I went to the local HD today, and got 4 types of Nasturtiums seeds, and some zinnia seeds. It's a start. I don't think I can use the spray of fungus because it will be killed with anything that is antifungal, and with the torrential 2 day rains we get here, an antifungal better be a strong approach. Even neem is antifungal.
I have to read this post about 2 more times I think. Very good info, very thoughtfully written.
Thank you for taking so much time and detail,
-Marsha

I have tried nematodes and adding lots of organic matter. Throughout the year I have incorportated old potting mix from my plants into my native soil. My yard now holds a lot of moisture and my grass and plants have never looked greener!

Marigolds do get rid of some of the nematodes, but with my experience they really don't do much for my soil. Rather than inoculating the soil, save some sweat and either graft your tomatoes onto a stronger rootstock (I'm going to try Maxifort rootstock next season) or grow in containers. You can grow a lot of things in the ground with nematodes in your soil, but tomato plants are just so sensitive... I even had a grow bag rip on the bottom and the nematodes knotted my tomatoes in the soilless mix I had them planted in.

As for whiteflies, try something that ladybugs like. I planted milkweed one year and the milkweed was covered in aphids one day, and the next day it looked like a swarm of ladybugs moved into my yard. Even though I attracted one pest, I attracted enough ladybugs to eat every aphid and whitefly in my yard!

I found Nemastop
[url]http://www.americanatural.com/testimonials/nemastop.html[/url] store

Here's the actual corp site- still no info [url]http://www.soiltechcorp.com/index.html[/url]

says its plant based, but their site is rather lame with no product information- though has a testimonial from a extension plant pathologist from Mississippi State U. "Reduced, and suppressed " nematode damage may be a key word??

Also, I heard sesame oil and meal works
[url]http://poulenger.com/products/dragonfire_cpp[/url]

Poulenger also makes Teracure- appears to be geared towards lawns.
[url]http://poulenger.com/products/teracure[/url]

Cereal Rye (Elbon, not the annual rye used to overseed a lawn) is reported to work as an off season cover crop as the RKN cannot complete its life cycle in the roots. Even if it doesn't, it provides the benefits of a cover crop.

I've read mixed reports of marigold efficacy and some varieties work better than others from what I remember. Some swear by it. If nothing else they add color!

I have this recollection that an Israeli (?) company was working on a biological control...maybe a bacteria? Not finding it quickly on google though.

I may try grafting one of these days. RKN are pretty bad here.

[QUOTE=ChrisK;326034]Cereal Rye (Elbon, not the annual rye used to overseed a lawn) is reported to work as an off season cover crop as the RKN cannot complete its life cycle in the roots. Even if it doesn't, it provides the benefits of a cover crop.

I've read mixed reports of marigold efficacy and some varieties work better than others from what I remember. Some swear by it. If nothing else they add color!

I have this recollection that an Israeli (?) company was working on a biological control...maybe a bacteria? Not finding it quickly on google though.

I may try grafting one of these days. RKN are pretty bad here.[/QUOTE]

[URL]http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/Nematodes/Pages/RootknotNematode.aspx[/URL]

Nice link...good info for people not familiar with nematode biology and such.

[QUOTE=Redbaron;326038][URL]http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/Nematodes/Pages/RootknotNematode.aspx[/URL][/QUOTE]

I'm most intrigued by the use of fungi in controlling nematodes. I saw a video on it once, several years ago, and remember thinking, "Good! This problem is now taken care of." Of course, I can't find it now or the company that sells the inoculate for it. (There had been one as I looked it up when I saw the show/video.) Oh, well.

Ran across this today. Not exactly a top tier journal but interesting nonetheless.

Certis sells a product called melocon that is comprised of paecilomyces lilancus a naturally occurring soil fungus that dissolves the chitin that nematodes are made from. In trials in Hawaii it outperformed vydate a seriously nasty chemie.

If you grow brassica (mustard greens), rototill them into the soil, seal the bed by rolling or cover with plastic, it should reduce your nematode population significantly.

I did some reading on this this afternoon. Reported efficacy is mixed. Not surprising since biological interactions are complex and we know little about interactions in the rhizosphere. If it's reasonably priced and available I'd try it. RKN is bad here.

As with all pesticides be they "organic" or "natural" or "synthetic" the biggest risk is to the applicator who handles the concentrated solutions not the end consumer exposed to miniscule trace amounts.

The species in Melocon is an opportunistic human pathogen. Imagine the outcry if Monsa...oh nevermind... :))

[QUOTE=DKelly;337002]Certis sells a product called melocon that is comprised of paecilomyces lilancus a naturally occurring soil fungus that dissolves the chitin that nematodes are made from. In trials in Hawaii it outperformed vydate a seriously nasty chemie.[/QUOTE]

I too have nematodes in my 8'x4' bed. I know because of the knobby roots of the vegetable when I pulled out 3 eggplants, 2 tomato plants, and a squash last summer and the disappointing production. So far I have:
[LIST=1][*]Planted Naughty Marigolds every 7 inches where I pulled out the affected plants.[*]I have saved my shrimp shells -- after rinsing, boiling, drying, and crushing them. I will add these to the bed.[*]I have snipped my cauliflower leaves and added them to the bed to decompose in the bed. It's not mustard, so I hope this is a good substitute.[/LIST]
What I can't find is [B]clear[/B] plastic to solarize the bed coming of summer. Can I use 2 mil plastic sheeting normally used as tarp? The box says it's clear but it is opaque. Any other suggestions to help my bed?

I'm hoping to do this immediately after I harvest my garlic and onions in June. I don't even know if these nematodes will affect the onions and garlic. I also hope to add my compost as well.