Discussion forum for environmentally-friendly alternatives to replace synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.
|
![]() |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
![]() |
#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Melbourne,Fl.
Posts: 10
|
![]()
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? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
|
![]()
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.
__________________
KURT |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SW FL
Posts: 152
|
![]()
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:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n04wCkIpuQ |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
|
![]()
lots of organic matter and marigolds works for me.
__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 377
|
![]()
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.
__________________
Jerry - You only get old if you're lucky. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
|
![]() Quote:
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 AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; November 10, 2012 at 04:12 PM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 377
|
![]()
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.
__________________
Jerry - You only get old if you're lucky. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
|
![]() Quote:
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.
__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; November 10, 2012 at 07:25 PM. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
|
![]() Quote:
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. ![]() Last edited by roper2008; November 10, 2012 at 06:12 PM. Reason: Pic |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
|
![]() Quote:
__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
|
![]()
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/nematodes.htm 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.
__________________
KURT |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
|
![]()
Nematodes and cowpea cover crop (resistance varies with cultivar
and nematodes eventually adapt): http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in516 Other nematode resistant cover crops: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2620786/ Environmental requirements of sunnhemp (grown in summer): http://ucanr.org/sites/asi/db/covercrops.cfm?crop_id=40 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.
__________________
-- alias Last edited by dice; November 12, 2012 at 07:35 AM. Reason: typo |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia)
Posts: 1,264
|
![]()
Interesting video! Have heard alot of talk here about them but never really understood what they/it was.
__________________
Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
|
![]()
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 AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
|
![]()
Scott, don't mean to hijack the thread, but is there a companion plant thet thwarts whitefly? Tremendously large problem here.
-Marsha |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Tags |
nematodes , rootknot nematodes , summer cover crops |
|
|