Root Knot Nematodes (RKN) - Page 4

Nematode · November 19, 2016

Thankfully dont have to deal with RKN here, but stumbled across this and thought it might help.

http://blog.gardenharvestsupply.com/...ll-cover-crop/

Rootknot Nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita), the parasitic culprit responsible for many vegetable deaths, especially the susceptible tomato, have proven to be sensitive to radish residues. Rootknot nematodes' numbers were found to be drastically reduced or completely obliterated. Researchers in eastern Texas planted radishes 58 days prior to planting sweet potatoes, with exceptional results. On the other hand, the beneficial nematodes, those which help to control disease and cycle nutrients to the plants (the ones we hardly hear anything about), were benefitted by the nitrogen-rich radish decomposition.

To learn even more, you can read GroundHog Radish â€“ A Smart Choice Cover Crop. All in all, the combined positive effects should result in a higher crop yield with less work for you. Cash crop farmers have long known the benefits of cover cropping with radish; we think it's time you realize the same benefits.

AlittleSalt · November 27, 2016

Nematode, I have been thinking about those radishes. I'm sure I can buy the seeds for cheap in bulk locally at the local feed stores.

Yesterday, I watered the gardens. The Elbon cereal rye is coming up. I hope it kills RKN like all the sites I have looked up says. I can't help but wonder if it will do the opposite though. I don't mean to sound pessimistic - just, it's all new-to-me. I am more of an optimistic realist, so seeing the Nobel cereal rye growing is a good sign to me.

This year has slipped by so quickly. Soon I'll be starting tomato and pepper seeds. My tentative list is still just a second thought.

I can say that after solarization, the weeds did not come back, and I want to believe that is a good sign.

roper2008 · January 26, 2017

When I pulled my Blush tomato plant last fall, this is what the roots looked like. The
plant produced a lot of tomatoes though. This must be RKN, right?

I think I'm going to put in a lot of compost, marigolds and mustard greens. I was thinking of planting my Sieva Lima Beans on the edges of the bed. I've read some-
where that they are nematode resistant.

ginger2778 · January 26, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by roper2008

When I pulled my Blush tomato plant last fall, this is what the roots looked like. The
plant produced a lot of tomatoes though. This must be RKN, right?

I think I'm going to put in a lot of compost, marigolds and mustard greens. I was thinking of planting my Sieva Lima Beans on the edges of the bed. I've read some-
where that they are nematode resistant.

That is a definite RKN infestation. Maybe solarize, that will kill them for a while. I grow in clean pots with fresh or solarized soil, and I use a plastic liner such as the bag the potting mix or fertilizer came in as a barrier between the pot and the soil so the pot can still drain, not inside the pot, so the nematodes can't get into the pot through the drain holes. In my Earthboxes, it's a non issue because they are solid and closed off from the ground.
All the potting mixes are solarized with 6mil clear plastic every year for at least 4 weeks, then replenished with new dolomite and new fertilizer, and topped off with new potting mix because it settles, but the potting mix is reused.

roper2008 · January 26, 2017

I do grow all my peppers in pots, but the large tomato plants are to hard for me
to control in a large pot or earthbox. I prefer to keep them in the ground. I will
not plant any tomatoes in this raised bed this summer. They will go in my other
raised beds.
You grow all your tomatoes in pots Marsha? That's a lot of pots because you grow
a lot of tomatoes.

ginger2778 · January 26, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by roper2008

I do grow all my peppers in pots, but the large tomato plants are to hard for me
to control in a large pot or earthbox. I prefer to keep them in the ground. I will
not plant any tomatoes in this raised bed this summer. They will go in my other
raised beds.
You grow all your tomatoes in pots Marsha? That's a lot of pots because you grow
a lot of tomatoes.

Yes! 47 Earthboxes, and several 7 Gallon pots. 2 tomato plants per EB.

AlittleSalt · January 26, 2017

Roper, I agree with Marsha. Some plants will continue to produce, but not any certain ones. It depends on if the plant can get enough nutrients or not. In my experience, one plant may not grow at all, and one 3' away grows and produces fairly well. Last year, my Big Beef plants didn't produce edible tomatoes before the RKN killed them. Big Beef is VFFNTA resistant.

maxjohnson · January 26, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Yes! 47 Earthboxes, and several 7 Gallon pots. 2 tomato plants per EB.

That's a lot of Earthboxes.

roper2008 · January 26, 2017

Maybe I will solorize, but I did read that about 12 inches deep get solarized. The nematodes go down where it's cooler, then come back up.

b54red · January 27, 2017

If you can get hold of some fresh horse manure it will help if tilled directly in. I put it in one September in some badly infested beds and by the next spring the problem was greatly reduced. Of course my weed problems were greatly increased.

Adding any organic matter will help because RKN thrive in sandy soil. I still have them in a couple of my beds bad enough that they sometimes affect my grafted plants that are on root stock that is RKN resistant. Mulching so the soil doesn't dry out helps a bit also. Rotating with onions, garlic or hot peppers also helps some.

Bill

AlittleSalt · February 1, 2017

It's two weeks until it's time to till in the Elbon cereal rye. The pictures show exactly where the RKN was worse. The rye is nowhere near as thick and tall as it is in other parts of the garden.

decherdt · February 3, 2017

Its pretty sparse and short, figures to be less effective, but maybe with the warm winter it did some good.

4season · February 6, 2017

Dug a few carrots and was going to rinse them at the hydrant 200 feet away. dug a few more and the next to last had RKN galore. rinsed them all right by the infested spot. That bed will get marigolds this year. Threw that one away.

AlittleSalt · February 13, 2017

4season, that's got to be the ugliest carrot I have ever seen.

I finished potting up the rest of our tomato and pepper plants today. The seed cell trays get an overnight of no potting mix in them. Tomorrow, I'm going to plant 7 packs of French Dwarf Double Mixed Colors marigolds in those seed trays. That's part of the next step in fighting the RKN.

I'm going to plant a lot of mustard greens as well (Way too many to eat and freeze.) I need to research if there is a certain variety of mustards that do better against RKN - or if whatever I find will work.

AlittleSalt · February 16, 2017

Cereal Rye till under day is today and it's a perfect day for it. High temperature of 65F, sunny, and it rained 2 inches three days ago. It tilled like a hot knife through butter.

This is our main garden 45'x45'. We tilled what oak leaves blew in there along with the mulched cereal rye.

January 26, 2017	#52
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Roper, I agree with Marsha. Some plants will continue to produce, but not any certain ones. It depends on if the plant can get enough nutrients or not. In my experience, one plant may not grow at all, and one 3' away grows and produces fairly well. Last year, my Big Beef plants didn't produce edible tomatoes before the RKN killed them. Big Beef is VFFNTA resistant. Last edited by AlittleSalt; January 26, 2017 at 12:43 PM.

February 3, 2017	#57
decherdt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 329	Its pretty sparse and short, figures to be less effective, but maybe with the warm winter it did some good. __________________ 500 sq ft of raised rows zone 8a

November 19, 2016	#46
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Thankfully dont have to deal with RKN here, but stumbled across this and thought it might help. http://blog.gardenharvestsupply.com/...ll-cover-crop/ Rootknot Nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita), the parasitic culprit responsible for many vegetable deaths, especially the susceptible tomato, have proven to be sensitive to radish residues. Rootknot nematodes' numbers were found to be drastically reduced or completely obliterated. Researchers in eastern Texas planted radishes 58 days prior to planting sweet potatoes, with exceptional results. On the other hand, the beneficial nematodes, those which help to control disease and cycle nutrients to the plants (the ones we hardly hear anything about), were benefitted by the nitrogen-rich radish decomposition. To learn even more, you can read GroundHog Radish â€“ A Smart Choice Cover Crop. All in all, the combined positive effects should result in a higher crop yield with less work for you. Cash crop farmers have long known the benefits of cover cropping with radish; we think it's time you realize the same benefits.

November 27, 2016	#47
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Nematode, I have been thinking about those radishes. I'm sure I can buy the seeds for cheap in bulk locally at the local feed stores. Yesterday, I watered the gardens. The Elbon cereal rye is coming up. I hope it kills RKN like all the sites I have looked up says. I can't help but wonder if it will do the opposite though. I don't mean to sound pessimistic - just, it's all new-to-me. I am more of an optimistic realist, so seeing the Nobel cereal rye growing is a good sign to me. This year has slipped by so quickly. Soon I'll be starting tomato and pepper seeds. My tentative list is still just a second thought. I can say that after solarization, the weeds did not come back, and I want to believe that is a good sign.

January 26, 2017	#48
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	When I pulled my Blush tomato plant last fall, this is what the roots looked like. The plant produced a lot of tomatoes though. This must be RKN, right? I think I'm going to put in a lot of compost, marigolds and mustard greens. I was thinking of planting my Sieva Lima Beans on the edges of the bed. I've read some- where that they are nematode resistant.

January 27, 2017	#55
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	If you can get hold of some fresh horse manure it will help if tilled directly in. I put it in one September in some badly infested beds and by the next spring the problem was greatly reduced. Of course my weed problems were greatly increased. Adding any organic matter will help because RKN thrive in sandy soil. I still have them in a couple of my beds bad enough that they sometimes affect my grafted plants that are on root stock that is RKN resistant. Mulching so the soil doesn't dry out helps a bit also. Rotating with onions, garlic or hot peppers also helps some. Bill

February 13, 2017	#59
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	4season, that's got to be the ugliest carrot I have ever seen. I finished potting up the rest of our tomato and pepper plants today. The seed cell trays get an overnight of no potting mix in them. Tomorrow, I'm going to plant 7 packs of French Dwarf Double Mixed Colors marigolds in those seed trays. That's part of the next step in fighting the RKN. I'm going to plant a lot of mustard greens as well (Way too many to eat and freeze.) I need to research if there is a certain variety of mustards that do better against RKN - or if whatever I find will work.