Nematodes
Question from Vicki:
I have nematodes in my garden. is it safe to eat the vegetables if there are nematodes in the roots? Are there any vegetables tht nematodes are less likely to invade? Enjoyed your seminar in San Diego a few months ago! thanks!
Answer from Pat:
It is fine to eat the vegetables even if there are nematodes in the roots. These are simply worms. They don’t inject poison into the plant, they only stunt it.
One excellent way to get rid of nematodes is to add shrimp shell meal to the soil. Unfortunately it is alkaline but by adding lots of organic matter such as manure and compost to the soil, you can counteract the alkalinity. Whereas now while vegetables are growing and bearing is not the time to dig manure, such as horse manure for example, into the ground, but it is fine to lay it on top of the soil as mulch and dig it in later. Meanwhile it can be aging and any irrigation will simply add safe amounts of nutrients to the soil that will help, not harm your crops. Nematodes prefer poor sandy soils to rich organic soils.
Many years ago I knew a gardener in Lakeside who had a huge vegetable garden and she spread a whole truckload of cow manure on top of the ground around her vegetables every August. Then she dug it into the ground in October and planted her winter vegetables. She did all her watering overhead.
Shrimp shell meal may be obtained from Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply.http://www.groworganic.com/shrimp-shell-meal-50-lb.html It comes in a large sack. Follow package directions. You will most likely have enough to share with other gardeners.
I am delighted to know you enjoyed my talk on “Our Poor Pitiful Soil and What to Do About It” at the San Diego Master Gardeners Seminar last spring. I thoroughly enjoyed giving that talk and the audience was wonderful!
I watched your YouTube video on how to treat nematodes in a vegetable garden and found it very interesting. I am looking for advise on how to treat them around my home. I live in NC and I have Japanese boxwoods and dwarf nandians planted around my home in a flower bed. All of my 28 boxwoods have died, but my dwarf nandians are still living. I had soil sample conducted and the soil checked out good. I then sent a boxwood to a research lab at NC State university to have it tested. The test revealed nematodes. What is the best and most cost efficient method to treat this problem. I would really appreciate your help.
If you have soil that is continually moist and never dries out, one of the best ways to control many soil pests, including harmful nematodes, is to release beneficial nematodes. These creatures will multiply and stay alive as long as soil stays moist and will control many pests, including root knot nematodes, but if the soil dries out the beneficial nematodes will die while the root knot pest nematodes will multiply. You can purchase these worms in various ways (spray on, or apply with watering can etc.) on Amazon.com where there are several brands to choose from. Arbico Organics is another. If you have sandy soil that dries out frequently the best solution is to build up a more organic soil that stays moist between irrigations. Root knot nematodes don’t like rich, moist soil that is filled with organic materials such as compost and manure. Another solution, though it won’t control all nematodes, but will trap some of them is to grow Nema-Gon Marigolds. Seeds are available from Burpee’s. Finally you might try applying Shrimp Shell meal and working it into the soil as deeply as possible. Shrimp Shell Meal is available at many locations and under many brands and also in many forms. Crab shell meal might work also. Look up Shrimp Shell Meal online and see what is available near you. Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply is the place I recommend in the West but there are many options closer to you including fertilizers containing it, and prices vary widely.
I watched your YouTube video on how to treat nematodes in a vegetable garden and found it very interesting. I am looking for advise on how to treat them around my home. I live in NC and I have Japanese boxwoods and dwarf nandians planted around my home in a flower bed. All of my 28 boxwoods have died, but my dwarf nandians are still living. I had soil sample conducted and the soil checked out good. I then sent a boxwood to a research lab at NC State university to have it tested. The test revealed nematodes. What is the best and most cost efficient method to treat this problem. I would really appreciate your help.
If you have soil that is continually moist and never dries out, one of the best ways to control many soil pests, including harmful nematodes, is to release beneficial nematodes. These creatures will multiply and stay alive as long as soil stays moist and will control many pests, including root knot nematodes, but if the soil dries out the beneficial nematodes will die while the root knot pest nematodes will multiply. You can purchase these worms in various ways (spray on, or apply with watering can etc.) on Amazon.com where there are several brands to choose from. Arbico Organics is another. If you have sandy soil that dries out frequently the best solution is to build up a more organic soil that stays moist between irrigations. Root knot nematodes don’t like rich, moist soil that is filled with organic materials such as compost and manure. Another solution, though it won’t control all nematodes, but will trap some of them is to grow Nema-Gon Marigolds. Seeds are available from Burpee’s. Finally you might try applying Shrimp Shell meal and working it into the soil as deeply as possible. Shrimp Shell Meal is available at many locations and under many brands and also in many forms. Crab shell meal might work also. Look up Shrimp Shell Meal online and see what is available near you. Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply is the place I recommend in the West but there are many options closer to you including fertilizers containing it, and prices vary widely.