Has anyone tried the Sesame Seed thing??

Tropicalfreak

Never heard of the sugar or sesame seed thing. Sounds interesting. Can both of you tell us more about both of them?

Mix the sugar and the sesame seeds in a bowl.Stir lightly,,toss........into your mouth YUMMMMMMMMMM
LOL

I have heard of the sugar treatment from Jerry Baker's book (I think). I haven't tried it though. I have tried the sesame chaff. It seemed to work well with tomatoes planted directly in the ground. I am thinking about using it again this year.
Has anyone tried the shellfish waste method? It is the chitin I think that is nematicidal.
Kat

the logic with chitin goes: nematodes are mostly chitin. introducing chitin into a medium attracts bacteria that eat chitin. the bacteria eat the nematodes, too.

i am skeptical of all methods that don't use 1) harsh chemicals (not in my garden!) or 2) lots and lots of organic material or 3) high temperatures.

reading up on the issue, a couple of organic methods seem promising: solarization mixed with biofumigation (google "biofumigation, solarization, nematode" and you'll find a number of articles on the process) and the use of velvet bean as an intercrop (again, google the terms "nematodes, velvet bean").

i have at present a pretty minor problem -- it takes a long time for the RKN to do sufficient damage in my veg garden. but the problem only gets worse with time, so i'm looking ahead to those solutions.

the only REAL solution is to plant nematode-resistant cultivars and use lots of compost.

What is really needed is a way to see almost 'real time' IF what we do and try actually strengthens, weakens or kills the RKN. Without knowing as soon as possible, its really all a chance we are taking and not even knowing if it truly helped.

I have tried most all easy methods and I am not sure they do or dont work.

As for the resistant varieties of plants, they are not immune but perhaps give maybe 5 extra days which would allow instead of say 20 tomatos, perhaps 40 tomatos to vine ripen.

Its costly and time consuming to send samples of soil in to be tested for RKN. We really need a way to be able to see if there is a body count after all our attempts.

I will say that I doubt there is anything that works that can be bought. If there was, it would be available and everyone would know about it and be using it by now around the world.

I had only heard of using sugar around a tomato plant to sweeten the tomatoes. Not sure if this works either.

So far, composting still works for me. We have a grass catcher on our lawn mower and I use the grass as mulch in the veggie garden. It rots and makes nice rich soil.

Hello y'all:

Reading these posts, from much more experienced gardeners than I, makes me wonder if you can help me. I have long suspected nematode trouble in my front bedding area but, not interested in pulling out the old microscope, I've never been sure. I have an italian cypress which will not get taller (but doesn't die, either). Pentas gradually decline there. Presently, I have juniper and dwarf firebush. The dwarf firebush are fine. The junipers are static. Is this indicative of nematodes? How in the world does one really know? Argh!

A flummoxed
Julie in WPB

Julie in WPB,

If you have root knot nematodes, the roots of the affected plants will be knotty and deformed.

It might not be nematodes, junipers are acid lovers and if you haven't been giving them any that will be the reason they don't look good or grow well. Pentas live only a couple of years and die off on their own. See if you can expose some roots and see if they are nobby. If so, it's nematodes, if not you might just need some fertilizer with acid.

Hi - FWIW, the Soil, Compost & Mulch & Organic Gardening forums have had discussions in the past that indicated the sugar wouldn't kill nematodes directly, but by encouraging 'friendly' microorganisms that help keep nematodes in check - & apparently any type of high carbon(carbohydrate) amendment might do the same - other sugars (esp. molasses) are even better, I believe.

Another great tip I got long ago was to avoid digging too deeply (& no double digging), as that can bring nematodes up closer to plants' roots.

I agree about the organic matter - lots of compost spread on the surface, not worked in, & mulch, mulch, mulch seems to work best for me.That, & containers for the most susceptible.

HTH

Hey katkin and bodiggly:

Thanks for the advice. I may dig a few roots, toss some acid (um, fertilizer wise). Testing the soil pH first might be an idea. Thanks again.

Julie in WPB

It sounds like the answer is "there is nothing that will kill nematodes". Any hope for the future of gardening in Florida?

I wonder if there is something to this sugar thing. I read in a book (of which i will have to call to get the title) at my mother's house that contained a variety of home remedies and natural defenses for various pests. There was a recomendation for nematodes that included soaking the soil with a mixture of molasses, beer, and water (the ratio I do not recall). I thought it sounded a bit hoaky and did not bother.

However I did try another remedy which may have some similarity with the effect that sugar causes. In this case, against fire ants. One of the prescribed remedies is to sprinkle instant grits around the ant colony. Apparently they cart the grits off to the colony and eventually to the queen and somehow she dies from it. Maybe it swells, maybe they can't digest the starch, but sure enough, whatever the cause, after a couple rounds of spreading a bit of grits on the ground, the colony went away. I couldn't believe it! For a $1.05 and no chemicals, I have an ant free yard and garden. Whenever I see a new on pop up, I give them a handful of grits...

It works!