Cover Crops to Kill Nematodes

How's it growin'? After soil solarization every summer for nine years, I'm switching to cover crops that kill nematodes. I'm doing this because that nine years has taken a toll on the beds. I'm excited about this change!

If I find an infestation of root nematodes, I plant a cover crop of Winter Rye (aka Cereal Rye) as a trap plant. Once nematodes enter the cereal rye roots, they cannot escape and are doomed. When cereal rye decomposes, it releases organic acids and stimulates soil microorganisms which further reduce the nematode population.

OhioGardener wrote:If I find an infestation of root nematodes, I plant a cover crop of Winter Rye (aka Cereal Rye) as a trap plant. Once nematodes enter the cereal rye roots, they cannot escape and are doomed. When cereal rye decomposes, it releases organic acids and stimulates soil microorganisms which further reduce the nematode population.

Good to know! One point I'll be making in part 2 is that there are many more options for cover crops for this than what I'm using. Then, since most of my viewers are in South Florida, I have an article I'll point them to from our local extension office that talks about others.

Cover crops in my SFG beds... 

These cover crops do much more than kill soil parasites. Like most cover crops, they add fertility, prevent soil erosion, regulate moisture, attract pollinators, feed beneficial microbes and protect them from the harmful rays of the sun. 


Let's grow together!

The third and final in this series: Terminating Cover Crops In A No-Till Garden

Cover crops are great for improving the health of the soil! But how do we terminate cover crops in a regenerative garden? This means minimal disturbance to the soil, so no herbicides, and we leave the roots in the soil!

OhioGardener wrote:I plant a cover crop of Winter Rye (aka Cereal Rye)

Can you do anything with the Rye besides compost? I've found some other grains (sorghum and buckwheat) are pretty hard to process even if you grow them.

markqz wrote:

OhioGardener wrote:I plant a cover crop of Winter Rye (aka Cereal Rye)

Can you do anything with the Rye besides compost? I've found some other grains (sorghum and buckwheat) are pretty hard to process even if you grow them.

Well, you can let them grow and set seed. Then you can harvest the grain, grind it into flour, and make some great bread.....

OhioGardener wrote:Well, you can let them grow and set seed. Then you can harvest the grain, grind it into flour, and make some great bread.....

That sounds alright. Most of the other grains seem to have a hard husk that is hard to remove and separate from the actual seed. Like I'm sure farmers have some $50,000 machine to do it, but there's no home-version.

markqz wrote:

OhioGardener wrote:Well, you can let them grow and set seed. Then you can harvest the grain, grind it into flour, and make some great bread.....

That sounds alright. Most of the other grains seem to have a hard husk that is hard to remove and separate from the actual seed. Like I'm sure farmers have some $50,000 machine to do it, but there's no home-version.

A neighbor just bought a used John Deere combine for a  mere $349,000. Haven't seen a home version of one of those.

OhioGardener wrote:A neighbor just bought a used John Deere combine for a  mere $349,000. Haven't seen a home version of one of those.

You haven't seen one of these ? That's the home version.

I'm sure he'll save money by doing his own repairs  

But I was only talking about the kit you need to hull various grains -- not an entire combine. Do you get your Rye Cereal from Baker or somewhere else? It might be worth experimenting on a few squares.

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markqz wrote:

Do you get your Rye Cereal from Baker or somewhere else? It might be worth experimenting on a few squares.

I just buy Cereal Rye from the local grain elevator.  I only plant the Rye as a winter cover crop, which becomes a green manure in the spring. I leave the roots in the soil to trap and kill root nematodes.

Many of you have followed my journey that I talk about in this. I'm glad I can laugh about it now, and hopefully help others along their journey. Laughter and gardening are the best therapies for the soul! 


In this talk I show how to identify, prevent, and treat nematode infestations so that your garden can grow as it should!

Let's grow together! 
StacksUrbanHarvest.com

I have questions but I will ask them tomorrow.

DStack, I have Neem seed meal, aka Neem Cake written down in my notes. But, I don't have any further explanation - does it work, how much per sq ft, mixed in or on surface? Currently under study? The article for UC Davis did not mention it so I am assuming the use of Neem cake is new or under study. ??

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7489.html

Arthrobotrys dactyloides, a nematode trapping fungi

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3774886/

sanderson wrote: Arthrobotrys dactyloides, a nematode trapping fungi

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3774886/

That is an interesting and informative article.  Another well written document on this subject comes from India:

https://journals.flvc.org/nemamedi/article/view/86771/83687

sanderson wrote:DStack, I have Neem seed meal, aka Neem Cake written down in my notes.  But, I don't have any further explanation - does it work, how much per sq ft, mixed in or on surface?  Currently under study?  The article for UC Davis did not mention it so I am assuming the use of Neem cake is new or under study.  ??

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7489.html

Here's what I had to say about Neem Cake. This link will take you right to that part of the video. 

 

Neem something I'll be trying next, although it's pricey from what I've found. It's not widely known in the US yet, and so it wasn't on my radar until a few months ago. Thanks for that report about it and the fungi.

It's time to kick off your summer cover crops. This is a follow-up video to my Cover Crop series. 

I'm especially excited for the upcoming episode, where I demonstrate pulling up my tomato plants and discovering NO NEMATODE KNOTS! I've been growing tomatoes in South Florida for 14 years, and this is a first! 

Embracing soil-building the regenerative way truly pays off!

Just a foot note.  Why am I allowing a video on this page that mentions fertilizer?  Everyone knows that we don't use fertilizer in our Mel's Mix.

Because this video and this page is all about fighting the "life-sucking" nematodes that can devastate our crops.  Anyone in certain areas of Florida or other areas that have nematodes knows the heart-breaking battle against them.  Once a lab test speciates the nematode(s), the battle begins.

1.  Lots of organic material (compost) and wood chips in the aisles and around the property.
2. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) planted and pulled up and safely discarded.  Chopping and dropping and leaving the infested roots doesn't work.  They are a trap crop.
3. Solarization with clear plastic secured around the edges.
4.  Cover crops - sun hemp, brown Kodiak mustard, sudan grass and sorghum.
5. Chitin - exosketons of insects and sea lobster, shrimp and crab.
6.  Keep soil moist at all times.

Added in this new video are "Mississippi Silver" and Iron Clay" cow peas and special blend compost/chitin and inoculant.

Signed, Admin

After a 14-year battle against root knot nematodes in South Florida, I made a remarkable discovery when I uprooted my tomato plants.


I dug deeper by sending a soil sample to Soil Food Web consultant, Allen Skinner. Here we dive into his discoveries and chat about nurturing the right soil biology to tackle those root-feeding nematodes!:herb:



And if you’re like me, and you like to “geek out” on soil science, a more in-depth version with my virtual chat with Allen Skinner is also available.  




#stacksurbanharvest #nematodes #RootKnotNematodes #soilfoodweb #healthysoilhealthyplants #healthysoil