Battling Rootknot Nematodes

[GoDawgs]

Today I pulled the first four spent cauliflower plants. Good news! The roots were clean as a whistle with no evidence of nematodes at all. It could be the result of a multitude of things. Maybe a bunch of them starved. Corn was there this past spring and nematodes don't mess with it, Fall '18 the bed was fallow, and cukes grew successfully there Spring 18 following a fallow Fall '17.

Still, I've read that brassicas are nematode supressors so that could be part of it too. Too many variables! Regardless, today I followed advice in that article and chopped up the leaves and stems of the cauliflower plants, turned them under and then mulched over the top with leaves. The incoming rain will water them in.



There will be peas going in there mid February.

Notice the cauliflower plants in the other side of the bed. They are very small compared to the first four big ones (about a third or quarter of the size) although they are still heading up. The big ones I just dug were planted out Sep 18 while the second four went out Oct 11. It very well could be that getting them in just three weeks later set them back some. It will be interesting to see how big the second set of heads get.

[Goodloe]

I've got "super mustard cover crop" stuff planted in my Tomato Patch at the moment. I'll till it in in a month or so...then about 100 lbs of alfalfa pellets to be tilled in. Most of the Patch will be left fallow in 2020, only 2 tode resistant hybrids planted in-ground. All other varieties will be planted in containers. Fingers crossed for 2021....

[b54red]

Originally Posted by GoDawgs

Today I pulled the first four spent cauliflower plants. Good news! The roots were clean as a whistle with no evidence of nematodes at all. It could be the result of a multitude of things. Maybe a bunch of them starved. Corn was there this past spring and nematodes don't mess with it, Fall '18 the bed was fallow, and cukes grew successfully there Spring 18 following a fallow Fall '17.

Still, I've read that brassicas are nematode supressors so that could be part of it too. Too many variables! Regardless, today I followed advice in that article and chopped up the leaves and stems of the cauliflower plants, turned them under and then mulched over the top with leaves. The incoming rain will water them in.



There will be peas going in there mid February.

Notice the cauliflower plants in the other side of the bed. They are very small compared to the first four big ones (about a third or quarter of the size) although they are still heading up. The big ones I just dug were planted out Sep 18 while the second four went out Oct 11. It very well could be that getting them in just three weeks later set them back some. It will be interesting to see how big the second set of heads get.

I have never seen any nematode damage on any brassica in all my years of gardening in my heavily RKN infested soil. They don't bother onions, garlic or hot peppers either but most other vegetables are vulnerable.

My second planting is doing the same thing but it isn't that unexpected with the temps we have had since late fall. Dawg if you are having the same type weather we are having then it is like spring down here and that will cause early heading of both broccoli and cauliflower. I can't believe how warm it has been this fall and winter. So far we have only had four nights that got below freezing and that is not good for these type of plants. I just set out more broccoli and cauliflower for my last planting and hopes of more normal weather coming in about a week we will be seeing 30s at night again. I may even have to cover my hoops within a week or so.

Bill

[GoDawgs]

Bill, you're ahead of me in the spring broccoli department. I'll be starting the seed for those at the end of this week so they'll go out to the garden probably 4-5 weeks later. I've decided to do the cauliflower only in the fall. There are now eight quart-sized bags of florets in the freezer now.

Meanwhile the scallion and the basil seed I recently started is coming up. Still waiting on that Red Robin tomato seed I got as a play toy.

[rick9748]

I cover all beds with Mighty Mustard suppose to retard nematodes. Cut and till in March plant toms 2/3 week of April. I have done this for 3 years appears to help some. But they still want to jump on my tomatoes if not grafted. Central South Carolina

[Garden/Arborist]

Our okra gets heavily infested with RKN. At the end of the season I pull the roots and toss them in the woods being careful to not spread them around. This got me to thinking about 'trap' crops. Of course it may be that plants that nematodes love to feed on results in even more nematodes in the general area so 'trapping' may not be a good idea.

Another idea is to plant marigolds and other nematode suppressant plants as companion plants for nematode susceptible crops. We get great okra crops but late in the season yield really drops off. It may be the buildup of nematode populations loving the high soil temperatures plus have a good host plant.

This year here in zip code 30011 I'm planting a second okra crop maybe mid June and see how the second crop fares. Marygolds may grow under okra if some of the lower leaves are removed. As I rule I don't remove okra leaves until the plant decides to shed them, then I pull the withered leaves.

Here's a photo of our Burmese okra crop seed from SESE, a couple of years ago.

We grew Clemson Spinless last year and like it better as it's not a spiney.