Questionable Nematode eradication......

14 years ago

I was reading about companion planting and ran across an article on organic gardening that said if you plant marigolds in the soil where these critters live this year that next year the nems would be gone.

Hey_j, where are you? Have you ever heard this? Has anyone ever tried it? Does it work????????????

Tanya

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Comments (5)

alyciaadamo
14 years ago
hey i think
i'll try it and see my self- I got a few plants in recently with nemes
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
NO CLUE..

BUT AS WE DISCUSSED.. THERE ARE BILLIONS OF NEMATODES IN THE SOIL...

oops

that are NOT necessarily the same as the ones INSIDE THE PLANT ....

the issue is where they go in winter.. when the plant dies down ... do they go back to the soil????

and will a marigold have any impact when its dead in winter..

or inside the hosta ...

surely.. it cant hurt to try ... eh???

ken
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There are literally thousands of species of nematodes, many of which are harmful residents of the garden and the soil, so "breeding" your own many not be a desireable solution. Beneficial nematodes are microscopic anyway, so it could difficult to judge how well one's breeding program is going if you can't see the dang things!! Beneficial nematodes are available through various mail order sources if not sold through local garden centers. Just do a Google search. Pay attention to timing when applying - nematodes are sensitive to soil temperatures and are best applied at specific times in the life cycle of the target organisms.
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Jill, I don't think that this question has been answered scientifically. I do know, as you probably do, that nems can live in dead foliage. They actually live in a state of suspended animation in dead foliage and can reawaken later. That's why it's better to remove foliage of plants you know have nems in the fall. However, I do know that nems don't like heat. You can kill them by heat treating plants to 125* for about 10 minutes. So it's likely that burning leaves will eliminate them. I just don't know of any research that shows that. I dump the foliage from all of my Hosta out into the woods behind my house, far enough away from my gardens that I don't have to worry about disease or nems. That pile of vegetation will never be used as compost. If I didn't have that option, I'd put them in the trash. That's just me. YMMV. Steve
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Question? Would you destroy a hosta if you saw slug damage or damage from cutworms? Nematodes are not a disease but a "bug" infestation. Treat them with Biosafe this Fall and again this Spring at the pip stage. This will probably clear up 99% of the problem. Most old established gardens have nematodes and the only problem would be if you give plants away. You should give the recipient fair warning that there may be nematodes.
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I'm going to dig this one up, keep an eye on everything else, and report back if things get weird again mid-summer. Because last year things didn't get bad like they did in 2015, which was the time period that I initially posted about... though after posting this last year, I tried treating everything out there with a not-recommended-for-this-type-use (approved as a crack and crevice treatment though) active ingredient that was mentioned for commercial growers in an article I read on foliar nematodes from the BASF BetterPlants website from 2014- chlorfenapyr... and I mixed it in my pump sprayer. Last year the situation didn't get nearly as bad as the previous year... and def my blue mouse ears were all fine at least, as were the ones I gave my SIL. But she didn't treat hers at all. So I don't know. But I will continue to monitor and post if anything new arises. I'm comforted by the fact that this spring desiccation only happens on the lighter areas of FW because my green areas are indeed fine. As of the time of my initial post/freak out, my local extension office was not getting back to me about this (though they've always gotten back to me about other stuff promptly) so I gave up. If anything changes for the worse I will try again, or call another place.
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pzelko
14 years ago
I wish that spyder mites felt the same way about marigolds, no, they like everything, dont think that nems really care either way about them either!! plant a crap load of marigolds and report back to us, there are good and bad nems, which were they talking about and was this about Hosta? once there in the plant, how is this going to help? so I have to dig up a hosta that has nems? and then plant marigolds in that soil? and then move that hosta next year and plant marigolds in that spot? sounds like I am chasing something around the yard here with no effect. Try spraying your hosta in the spring with a systemic, it is much easier.

Paul
Janice
14 years ago
Hey--Taly! Check out my response on Daniel's thread, for what I AM doing, right now! :o)

Haven't heard about the marigold tip! Ringing a hosta w/them could be challenging--w/shade and all,
I'm thinking!

In general, I'm not a big fan of marigolds, but the one I did acquire in 2007, that was more
of a creamy-white than the brassy yellows, rust, etc.!

BUT, if it would work, I'm less a fan of 'foliar' neems, so it may be worth a try!!! Try it and let
us know--okay?? :o)

Here is a link that might be useful: Banishing neems to....
chris-e
14 years ago
pzelko,

I would gladly use a systemic to battle the nems. PLEASE tell
what to buy that I can have safely around my grandchildren and my dog. Everything I have been told to use is highly toxic.

christine

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Questionable Nematode eradication......

Comments (5)

alyciaadamo

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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pzelko

Janice

chris-e

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