What are your favorite Tomatoes? 2 questions.

AlittleSalt · October 7, 2016

Most of you already know that I have Root Knot Nematodes (RKN) in our gardens.

First Question: I would like to know what is your favorite Open Pollinated and/or Heirloom tomatoes are. I need to get ideas for my wish list for the MMMM. I probably won't be planting many OPs until 2018.

I plan on planting a lot of Nematode resistant hybrids in 2017 - which I'll need to buy seeds for. So, the second question: What are some of your favorite Nematode resistant hybrids?

Cole_Robbie · October 7, 2016

http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/cache/arl02971.htm

The article above lists several control ideas. Something with chitin to work into the soil like crab or shrimp shell is supposed to help, and it's cheap. The first thing I would start doing is soaking a piece of a mosquito dunk in the water you use on the plants. There are a lot of other biological controls to try, but the dunks will be the cheapest.

ginger2778 · October 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Most of you already know that I have Root Knot Nematodes (RKN) in our gardens.

First Question: I would like to know what is your favorite Open Pollinated and/or Heirloom tomatoes are. I need to get ideas for my wish list for the MMMM. I probably won't be planting many OPs until 2018.

I plan on planting a lot of Nematode resistant hybrids in 2017 - which I'll need to buy seeds for. So, the second question: What are some of your favorite Nematode resistant hybrids?

What I have found us that nematode resistant hybrids get just as much root knots as the others. I found it to be baloney!

ginger2778 · October 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/cache/arl02971.htm

The article above lists several control ideas. Something with chitin to work into the soil like crab or shrimp shell is supposed to help, and it's cheap. The first thing I would start doing is soaking a piece of a mosquito dunk in the water you use on the plants. There are a lot of other biological controls to try, but the dunks will be the cheapest.

You can also buy gnatrol, same type of BT, but a tiny pinch is all you need, and it is far cheaper than mosquito bits or dunks. Each granule has many thousand BT units.

AlittleSalt · October 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

What I gave found us that nematode resistant hybrids get just as much root knots as the others. I found it to be baloney!

I found the same results with Big Beef VFFNTA.

ginger2778 · October 8, 2016

My friend has success putting the left over plastic bags from his soil, fertilizer, etc. under his pots, a cheap and effective barrier to the nematodes getting in. That plastic is much thicker than trash can liners. It won't break down as fast.

Worth1 · October 8, 2016

This reminds me of some other misconceptions about stuff people think is true.
Stainless steel and bullet proof.
Manufactures advertise it as bullet resistant not proof.
I still think my scorched earth method is going to be the only way to get rid of them.
I have no favorite tomato for nematodes as there aren't any.
There are other options but the cost is way out there and you would have to be rich to do it.

Worth

TC_Manhattan · October 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

This reminds me of some other misconceptions about stuff people think is true.
Stainless steel and bullet proof.
Manufactures advertise it as bullet resistant not proof.
I still think my scorched earth method is going to be the only way to get rid of them.
I have no favorite tomato for nematodes as there aren't any.
There are other options but the cost is way out there and you would have to be rich to do it.

Worth

Okay, I'll bite..

What is your scorched earth method, Worth?

Worth1 · October 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC_Manhattan

Okay, I'll bite..

What is your scorched earth method, Worth?

Go in and kill or relocate every living thing put up a perimeter and start over.
All birds lizards frogs critters and living things of all kinds would have to go through a quarantine and nematode inspection before they were allowed to enter.

Worth

AlittleSalt · October 8, 2016

Okay, now I've read it all

Cole_Robbie · October 8, 2016

I keep thinking about the way that bed bugs are exterminated by heating the room to 120 or so. Similar to solarization, if you could throw an insulated cover over the beds and run propane heat in there, it would be possible to kill the nematodes. You might have to do it twice, and turn the soil between treatments.

I also wonder, for container growers, if it would work to freeze soil in a deep-freeze to simulate northern winters.

slugworth · October 8, 2016

dakota fire pit in the garden or a propane flame thrower and 20 lb tank.

gardeninglee · October 9, 2016

There's a free offer for the Atkinson tomato on the trade forum and it has some nematode resistance.

Atkinson (AU 22 and STEP 500) - Breeder: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Vendor: Corneli Seed Co. Characteristics: indeterminate vine, strong; fruit meaty, large to 1.1 pounds, small core, good color and flavor, green shouldered; suitable for green wraps, fresh market, and home gardens. Resistance: nematodes and fusarium wilt race 1. Similar: Marion. Adaptation: southeastern U.S. Atkinson tomato, Auburn Agr. Expt. Sta. Leaf. 73, Nov. 1966.

habitat_gardener · October 9, 2016

I happened upon a note from 2005 that researchers in Florida were growing tomatoes in Bahia grass sod to inhibit nematodes.

The source is Citrus and Vegetable Magazine 68 (11):10.

b54red · October 19, 2016

I have had nematodes in my garden for over 40 years and they are worse some years than others. If the hybrid is resistant it makes a huge difference. I grew Big Beef for years and rarely had any knots on the roots. I'm beginning to think the one they are selling now is not the same as the one from years ago. All of my heirlooms had very little nematode resistance but some were better than others. I had better luck with Neves Azorean Red, Indian Stripe, Spudakee, JD's Special C Tex and Limbaugh's Legacy. Of course it might have just been luck.

I now use very resistant root stock and graft all my plants. Even so I still occasionally have a plant affected some by nematodes but it is rare. It still amazes me after years of grafting when I pull up a plant and don't see nematode knots. I guess after over 30 years of seeing them every time I pulled a plant up it is hard to change my perception of what the roots will look like.

I think you should start learning to graft and then you can grow your favorite heirlooms. It is a bit of work and a lot of trouble but it is well worth the effort if you have real soil born disease problems like nematodes or fusarium.

Bill

October 7, 2016	#1
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	What are your favorite Tomatoes? 2 questions. Most of you already know that I have Root Knot Nematodes (RKN) in our gardens. First Question: I would like to know what is your favorite Open Pollinated and/or Heirloom tomatoes are. I need to get ideas for my wish list for the MMMM. I probably won't be planting many OPs until 2018. I plan on planting a lot of Nematode resistant hybrids in 2017 - which I'll need to buy seeds for. So, the second question: What are some of your favorite Nematode resistant hybrids?

October 7, 2016	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/cache/arl02971.htm The article above lists several control ideas. Something with chitin to work into the soil like crab or shrimp shell is supposed to help, and it's cheap. The first thing I would start doing is soaking a piece of a mosquito dunk in the water you use on the plants. There are a lot of other biological controls to try, but the dunks will be the cheapest.

October 8, 2016	#6
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	My friend has success putting the left over plastic bags from his soil, fertilizer, etc. under his pots, a cheap and effective barrier to the nematodes getting in. That plastic is much thicker than trash can liners. It won't break down as fast.

October 8, 2016	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	This reminds me of some other misconceptions about stuff people think is true. Stainless steel and bullet proof. Manufactures advertise it as bullet resistant not proof. I still think my scorched earth method is going to be the only way to get rid of them. I have no favorite tomato for nematodes as there aren't any. There are other options but the cost is way out there and you would have to be rich to do it. Worth

October 8, 2016	#12
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,152	dakota fire pit in the garden or a propane flame thrower and 20 lb tank.

October 9, 2016	#13
gardeninglee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: West Los Angeles Posts: 203	There's a free offer for the Atkinson tomato on the trade forum and it has some nematode resistance. Atkinson (AU 22 and STEP 500) - Breeder: Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Vendor: Corneli Seed Co. Characteristics: indeterminate vine, strong; fruit meaty, large to 1.1 pounds, small core, good color and flavor, green shouldered; suitable for green wraps, fresh market, and home gardens. Resistance: nematodes and fusarium wilt race 1. Similar: Marion. Adaptation: southeastern U.S. Atkinson tomato, Auburn Agr. Expt. Sta. Leaf. 73, Nov. 1966.

October 9, 2016	#14
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I happened upon a note from 2005 that researchers in Florida were growing tomatoes in Bahia grass sod to inhibit nematodes. The source is Citrus and Vegetable Magazine 68 (11):10.

October 19, 2016	#15
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have had nematodes in my garden for over 40 years and they are worse some years than others. If the hybrid is resistant it makes a huge difference. I grew Big Beef for years and rarely had any knots on the roots. I'm beginning to think the one they are selling now is not the same as the one from years ago. All of my heirlooms had very little nematode resistance but some were better than others. I had better luck with Neves Azorean Red, Indian Stripe, Spudakee, JD's Special C Tex and Limbaugh's Legacy. Of course it might have just been luck. I now use very resistant root stock and graft all my plants. Even so I still occasionally have a plant affected some by nematodes but it is rare. It still amazes me after years of grafting when I pull up a plant and don't see nematode knots. I guess after over 30 years of seeing them every time I pulled a plant up it is hard to change my perception of what the roots will look like. I think you should start learning to graft and then you can grow your favorite heirlooms. It is a bit of work and a lot of trouble but it is well worth the effort if you have real soil born disease problems like nematodes or fusarium. Bill