Nematode cooking: One of my brighter hairbrained ideas

16 years ago

I was trying to figure out what in the world you would stick a tall hosta in to try to "cook" it if it has foliar nematodes.

As I was doing the laundry and hanging over the tub watching the water fill (I know...get a life)....a lightbulb went on.

I went upstairs and got the meat thermometer and checked the hot water temp as it was coming out - 126 degrees!

There is the magic answer. Fill up the tub of the washer w/ hot water and it would be roomy and tall enough to put those big ones in...shut the lid to keep in the heat and cook!

Plus, when you're finished, just run a cycle empty to clean it out.

Pretty good idea if I do say so myself. LOL

andrea

PS Don't forget to shut it off after you fill it or you'll come back to hostas that went thru the spin cycle...not pretty lol

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Comments (18)

esther_opal
16 years ago
Hot water heaters water temperatures are variable, check to be sure but it sounds like a good idea. Try some green throw aways to see what happens, maybe even a gentle cycle.

You could add water slowly to maintain temp.
lindac
16 years ago
And any soil/sand/grit that washes off your hosta will clog the washer pump.
Linda C
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ademink
Original Author
16 years ago
Ok..make sure you rinse well first folks! ;D

My tap water registers the same temp on a regular basis too...though it seems to be hotter later in the day. good thing to remember though.
esther_opal
16 years ago
You 'Lint Ball'

A few more names:
H.'Poor Boy'
H.'Poor Girl' of course
H.'Spin Cycle'
H.'Delicate'
H''Wash n Wear'
H.'Off'
H.'On'
H'Plug it in Stupid'
Janice
16 years ago
Hey, Andrea--what will you be putting them in for the "cool down"---the chest freezer? LOL

H. popsicle
H. deep six
H. die you nems, die!
donrawson
16 years ago
Aren't you afraid of nematode damage to your clothes??? LOL, Don

PS I thought putting turtle eggs in my shirt pocket was a great idea when I was a little kid. But I forgot about them, and a few days later my mom found several baby turtles swimming around inside the washer! I'll bet they all had a bad headache after the spin cycle!!!
esther_opal
16 years ago
Seriously, or as serious as I ever get. I think it could work?

I never got over my first chemistry set, throw it all together and hope it doesn't blow up.
sassy7142
16 years ago
I don't know Andrea....Last year I did the heat tx and even though I slammed the plant against the driveway to knock off as much dirt as I could from the ball of roots, I still ended up with alot of mud in the hot water bath when I was finished. I don't think it would be good for your washing machine. But, who knows it might work.

Water comes out of my facet at 130 degrees, perfect for the heat treatment. What I did was take a tall kitchen trash can and put the plant in it. I then took the rinser hose from my kitchen sink and filled up the trash can with the 130 degree water. I had another tall trash can for the cold water bath.

Let us know how your idea works for you.

Sassy
jel48
16 years ago
I wouldn't think the amount of mud that didn't rinse off the roots would be any problem. I've washed some pretty muddy clothes in my washer...
playinmud
16 years ago
Hey Andrea that sounds like a good idea! I think if you get the large particles off the roots before dousing you ought to be okay.

As my moniker implies, I "play in mud" that's what a potter does. None of my clothes, as laden with clay/mud/gook as they always are, have ever clogged the washer. Perhaps that's a bad comparison, but my washer takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

Donna
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
16 years ago
Lightbulb just went on......instead of using the washing machine's tub, why not use the bath tub? With the larger surface area it would cool off a little faster so you might to have to keep the water running to keep it at the required temperature for the requisite length of time.....
ademink
Original Author
16 years ago
LOL Don...hilarious on the turtle eggs. I can't imagine what those rotten little fellas smelled like! EW!!!

Donna, good to know you have no clogging yet - maybe this will work.

EO - good names lol

pietertje....that is an excellent idea! Or, maybe that would be the "cool down" location.
Carole Westgaard
16 years ago
Does the whole plant (roots and all) have to get boiled? I think I have the dam things. Scorch that runs along veins in a perfect line - not like uneven scorch from sun. I have a 180 degree dispenser on my sink for tea - couldn't I just fill up a carafe - or even better - maybe run the coffee pot w/o grounds - and go out and douse the leaves? Or do the roots need to get heated too? Can't dig anymore!

Westy
esther_opal
16 years ago
Westy, exact temperatures are required, to hot the plant dies to cool and nematodes live.

The temperature is about 125-130 no more no less.
Carole Westgaard
16 years ago
Oh.

Westy
ademink
Original Author
16 years ago
ROFL!
goldedger
16 years ago
Well I'm really thankful that I haven't run into any Nematode's (yet) cause I hate to do laundry and washing my hostas would be right up there with the laundry hate list.

lol

June
Janice
16 years ago
LMHO--June--I'm with ya, on that one!!!

Nematode cooking: One of my brighter hairbrained ideas

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