Jo,

It does sound promising. Actinovate is popular with organic gardeners and farmers and is available in all sizes suitable for everyone from home gardeners to commercial growers. When using it for a somewhat larger area it can be very costly, but if the alternative is to lose the struggle to nematodes every year, then of course it would be money well-spent.

I think that Jay used Actinovate last year. Maybe when he returns from Wichita and has time to get online, he'll see this and tell you how he used Actinovate. He may have used it as a soil drench in his seedlings' containers, but I don't remember if he told me he used it that way or if I assumed that was how he was using it. I believe he was pleased with it.

It is not surprising Actinovate outperformed Vapam. My Dad used Vapam long ago before it was removed from the home gardening market the first time and I was never convinced it was very effective anyway. Shortly after they took it off the market, he began moving towards a more holistic, chemical-free form of gardening that included composting, and his garden seemed to improve.

The issue with all commercial soil fumigants is that they kill pretty much all the life in the soil....all those millions and millions of microbes per tablespoon of soil that healthy soil needs. Even if Vapam kills RKNs, it also kills any natural enemies of RNKs that exist in the soil and help keep them under control, including beneficial nematodes. So, for an organic grower, fumigants aren't even an option to begin with because they destroy every bit of good soil life/biological activity that organic growers are trying to achieve by using compost, manure, etc. Using Actinovate helps rebuild the soil life, so even if it wasn't helping with the RKN issue, it still would be improving your soil instead of stripping it of life.

Let's hope they continue to update us on their research. When I was a kid and even later a young adult, the land grant universities like Texas A&M shunned organic research and focused only on chemical product research, and folks like Malcolm Beck and J. Howard Garrett had to do their own organic research and promote their own findings. The times have changed enough, finally, that we're seeing more land grant university research on organic methods espoused by some of the folks long active in the organic gardening movement. That's a really good thing.

I've linked the article below.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Root Knot Nematode Research from Agri-Life

I'm heading outside so will keep this short. I applied the Actinovate in the granular form last year. I couldn't tell that much difference between where I applied it and where I didn't. Do feel it is a good product. Being that I'm not supposed to link to another forum I will paste a comment from Iva about nematodes. The first time I have read this but might be worth a try on a small area. Jay

Iva,
To fight against nematodes, try planting a cover crop (green manure) of Tagetes - marigolds as their roots stink to the nematodes so they simply can't live in such an environment. You simply sow the seeds, let them grow until first flowers appear then mow them and work them into the soil. It works!

Thanks Jay. In order to combat my nematode problem, I solarized several of my beds last year, planted a fall cover crop of elbon rye and turned it under in almost all of my beds...I read that chitin from shellfish works too, so whenever I eat crab legs (once or twice per month) I crush up the shells and throw them in my beds too. ;)

I do plant marigolds and can give up one or two beds for them this summer, but not all of them. So this product could be an answer to my prayers of growing food in my beds this year and reducing populations in subsequent years.

Something interesting I found out while researching Actinovate today. Its active ingredient is 0.0371 streptomyces lydicus

The same company makes another MUCH CHEAPER product called Actino-Iron. Actinovate runs $15 for two ounces, Actino-Iron runs $15 for three POUNDS.

Actino-Iron is "stronger" 1.30% streptomyces lydicus ..which is about 35 times more concentrated than the actinovate. The interesting thing is that per the manufacter, you'd actually have to use MUCH MORE of the more highly concentrated Actino-Iron
(3 ounces per cubic foot). The same three ounces of Actinovate would make 50 gallons and treats 50 cubic feet of soil. This makes no sense to me.

Essentially you'd be using a product that is already 35 times more concentrated, and applying it at 50 times the rate.

Can anyone smarter than me explain this?

Also per the manufacturer:

Actino-Iron is not water-soluble like Actinovate so you cannot apply as a drench. It can be incorporated into the soil or used as a top dressing.
For treatment of foliar disease, you would only use Actinvate since it can be applied as a spray.

I am considering just buying some less expensive Actino-Iron and incorporating it into my soil very sparingly.

Jo

You have to use the right kind of Marigold for nematode control. the common flowering variety will not work. The one the does is a very tall ( and interesting looking) growing species that rarely flowers in our climate since it is a very short day plant.

An amusing story: Darrell Merrel the tomato man of Tulsa (Jenks, America) decided to plant marigolds (the right species) for nematode control. One day in late summer he was buzzed by helicopters flying around his house. A bit later two agents drove up to see what old Darrel was growing in his back yard.

Duckcreekgardens,

I get buzzed a couple of times a year. I know it's because of my visually nonconventional growing methods. My yard doesn't look like a golf course. When they buzzed in October, the vibration was so strong, I thought they were going to have to buy me new windows. My child got hysterical. The only oregano on my property was grown and packaged by Tone's. LOL

I think that is why Dawn grows so many plants. To hide her "special ones" and confuse the fuzz. :D :D :D

Jo

That would certainly thicken the plot. Can't you just see the stage play?