Till in marigolds for RKN?

[WLeClair]

I have read several places about the benefits of marigolds in fighting RKN (I have a bed that has a nasty infestation). What confuses me is what to do with the marigolds when it comes time. I have read conflicting info: 1 -- till the marigolds in with rest of cover crop (mustard blend in my case), 2 -- pull the plants and discard because the nematodes (at least some, I guess) are still alive in the marigolds. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

W. LeClair

[AlittleSalt]

What I've read is to till them in. I grow Dwarf French Marigolds. I also read that some types of marigolds don't work.

I should mention, I'm in the same boat - the RKN is a microscopic beast.

[WLeClair]

I agree...they are the bane of my gardening existence (that and gophers on my fruit trees). I'm also solarizing the bed this summer when the major heat comes in. I'm hoping that with the mustard, marigolds, and solarizing I can at least grow something in there next year -- even beans.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by WLeClair

I agree...they are the bane of my gardening existence (that and gophers on my fruit trees). I'm also solarizing the bed this summer when the major heat comes in. I'm hoping that with the mustard, marigolds, and solarizing I can at least grow something in there next year -- even beans.

There's always containers. Lately I just save the bags that fertilizers and potting mixes come in, and put the bag between the pot and the ground, and I have a barrier that is impenetrable to RKN.Solarizing doesn't work too well. Even if I solarize, that's only really good for about 4 months here before they are reinfested, and we should have a 9 month season.
Try using the plastic bags with your pots set on top, and new fresh potting mix in the pot. Cheap, easy, no more RKN threat.

[WLeClair]

Thanks for the input, Ginger. Question for you, from what I have read (including in Craig's book) the containers should be emptied and filled with new potting soil every year...sounds like a pretty big expense (not to mention work) every year. I have built in the last three years 5 raised beds (with another coming next month) for almost 200 sf of growing space...and quite a bit of money into it. Only one of them (of course the biggest one) is infested...and interestingly, but not surprisingly, it's the one I filled with bulk soil from a local landscaping place. I am wondering, if my current efforts don't pay off if I should just shovel out the soil, "decontaminate", and then fill with bagged soil I know is safe. What do you think?

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by WLeClair

Thanks for the input, Ginger. Question for you, from what I have read (including in Craig's book) the containers should be emptied and filled with new potting soil every year...sounds like a pretty big expense (not to mention work) every year. I have built in the last three years 5 raised beds (with another coming next month) for almost 200 sf of growing space...and quite a bit of money into it. Only one of them (of course the biggest one) is infested...and interestingly, but not surprisingly, it's the one I filled with bulk soil from a local landscaping place. I am wondering, if my current efforts don't pay off if I should just shovel out the soil, "decontaminate", and then fill with bagged soil I know is safe. What do you think?

I don't know enough about raised beds to answer, but as to changing the pot soil every year, really, I don't know many besides Craig that actually do that. I solarizing my Earthboxes every summer, then right before the season starts, I remove the old used fertilizer strip, add more dolomite lime, new fertilizer, and top it off with fresh potting mix but it's about 6 years using the Earthboxes, I haven’t changed my soil once. Not in my 7 gallon pots either.

[OzoneNY]

Originally Posted by WLeClair

I agree...they are the bane of my gardening existence (that and gophers on my fruit trees). I'm also solarizing the bed this summer when the major heat comes in. I'm hoping that with the mustard, marigolds, and solarizing I can at least grow something in there next year -- even beans.

I solarized last summer. It worked nicely. Think I may do this every August as a maintenance.

[4season]

When you said "just shovel out the soil" I started wondering how long can RKN and eggs survive without root to feed on ? Found this page with more than you ever wanted to know.
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intro...tNematode.aspx

[WLeClair]

Thanks, 4season. After reading the article (yeah, more than one ever wants to know) I think I may try planting earlier (since our frost is pretty much non-existent), pulling the plants when the major heat comes in (since production pretty much stops anyway), and keep it fallow after I solarize until the cooler temps in late October. I'm planning beans for this bed this summer...does anyone know if they are susceptible? A cursory search indicated they are. I've never planted a large crop of beans in this bed -- this year will be telling.

[WLeClair]

Would a bleach spray (on the bed lumber, not the soil) kill any remaining eggs, do you think, if I do shovel it out?

[rick9748]

That is a lot of information!!

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you Marsha. I didn't realize you could use the same soil/mix in containers from year-to-year. That changes how I was thinking about container growing. Now it's a realistic option for me.

[WLeClair]

I agree...thank you so much for the information.

[4season]

in the general discussion area there are 2 threads 1 on November 1, and one on July 15 both started by ALittleSalt. Multiple pages each.

[Jimbotomateo]

Hope this is right place for this. Someone brought up electric tillers and I can't find the thread . Like to buy one if they're viable option for my needs. Thanks jimbo