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Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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Posted by joflo723 9b (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 17:56

So I guess my cukes have succumbed to root knot. The stems of several of them had turned very yellow and sickly, so I pulled them up and the roots...well, see pic below. :(

So is there anything you can do about root knot nematodes? If I cannot salvage my existing plants, how can I at least go about ensuring the next veggies planted in these spots aren't also attacked?

BTW, these were in 10" raised beds containing a blend of peat moss, compost, and vermiculite, plus a little topsoil.

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RE: Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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There are several things you can do, none of which are foolproof, or fun.

- lay the area fallow over a hot season, and till the soil every few days. This will bring the parasites causing the root knot to the surface and roast them.
- pull up your plants immediately after you harvest them.
- plant plants that are resistant in the affected area
- you can plant only plants that are resistant, like Sweet Million Cherry Tomatoes, in that area, and then put a plant, like cucumbers, that is not, in that same area, every year, just one, so you know if it's safe to put non-resistant plants back.

If you just NEED cucumbers (my mum can't do without them at all!) and that is where you plant them; so you have no other spot, you could buy a couple of Home Depot buckets, or even Menard's, which are prettier, and put them anywhere, ANYWHERE, even in the middle of your backyard, you have room. Cucumbers will do fine in those.

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RE: Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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  • Posted by digdirt 6b-7a North AR (My Page) on
    Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 19:06

You can buy and spread beneficial nematodes (strain Steinernema feltiae aka SF nematodes). It won't help for this year but will work for next year and has the added side benefit of eliminating many other soil-dwelling pests and larvae.

They aren't cheap depending on the size of your garden but I have had excellent results from using them.

Dave

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RE: Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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Thanks for the advice. I will probably just let that bed go fallow for a season. Another thing I read, and wonder if anyone has tried, is to *bake* the things, similar to your first suggestion, but by adding some plastic covering over the top of the bed as well. I guess this increases the heat to really sterilize the soil. Link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nemotades FAQ

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RE: Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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You can buy mustard seeds and seed them over affected area. Make sure you seeded them nicely spaced but evenly , to give the plants space to grow, but cover the whole area. When plants started to flower, you need somehow crash them and dig them into soil. I usually cut the greens, put them in 20 gallon bucket in portions and go through them with weed wacker. Then spread the chopped greens over soil in dig them in. Water well to make soil wet deep enough, cover with plastic and let it stay this way for 3-4 weeks. All process of chopping should be very fast - like an hour before all greens are in the soil. The gas that crashed greens produce kills nematodes. It called bio fumigation You can plant you plants not earlier then 3 weeks after that.
I did it once last year in the area nematodes were not that bad, carrots are growing OK so far there. And this year I am treating a really bad spot. The mustard already in the ground, the soil waiting for right time to plant fall carrots. The results unknown yet)

Here is a link that might be useful: Where you can buy mustard seeds for bio fumigation

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RE: Root Knot Treatment/Prevention?

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You're referring to solarizing the soil. Which can do the job if done correctly. This means tilling in some compost in the hottest and sunniest time of the year, thoroughly drenching the area with water, and then covering up with clear plastic 4-6 mil, making sure to tuck the plastic in to create a seal. Sand and/or bricks work well. 6-8 weeks later and you'll have sterile soil, so re-add more compost to get the microbes and worms back going again.

Kevin

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