Nematodes

Having NEMATODE problems yet?

Having high harmful nematode levels in the soil indicates that the growing crop is sick, and the soil itself is unfit for plants! Nematodes don’t attack a healthy plant, and an unbalanced, biologically dead soil cannot produce a vigorous, healthy plant. Think about it!!! These destructive nematodes are one of nature’s way of saying “You’re destroying my land with your harsh fertilizers and deadly chemicals. So, STOP it!”

Nematodes attack plants for one major reason, and that is because of too much salt in the soil. This is why we sending out the alarm for farmers to get off all salty fertilizers with a high salt index (0-0-60# KCl, chloride salt), Ammonium nitrate, and sodium nitrate (nitrogenic salt), and to test their soil for sodium (salt) \ level!!

What is this salt doing to your soil??? It has a powerful reaction in the soil and actually can have more pulling power than a root of a plant.

Therefore, a salty soil solution can hold water away from a root, and even dehydrate the root itself! Once the salty soil dehydrates the root, the bark will slide off, allowing the nematode to enter the plant. This is the only way it can attack the plant. Another aid to nematodes is too much N which makes roots and tublers to grow faster than normal, so they crack open, then comes the nematodes to kill the crop.

How do you control Nematodes once you have them?

• Stop using salty fertilizers and restore your soil to a Natural sodium level. This can be done normally in 1 to 2 years by having adequate calcium and sulfur levels to neutralize excessive salts. Bring Ca to 70% plus saturation and sulfur up to 25 to 30#. Calcium and Humic Acid are excellent products to use for purging the soil of excessive salts.
• Natural practices of incorporating green manures, or composted animal manures are excellent ways to remove excessive salts. Combine either of these with 10-12 oz. of a high enzyme corn syrup and a high aerobic bacteria product, and you are on your way to KILLING off your nematodes. AEROBIC BACTERIA WILL FEED ON NEMATODES EGGS!! With a healthy aerobic bio population, you won’t have to worry about nematodes long. Ask us about profitable mixes in severe nematode soils. No FUMAGANTS or NEMADICIDES needed!! Remember too, aerobic bacteria need a lot of oxygen. So keep your soil well aerated and porous…LET THE AIR IN!!!
• Correct your phosphorus-potassium balance. Most crops require a 2 to 1 ratio of P to K in the soil. If you are using all natural fertilizers, nematodes cannot live in a soil with P levels at 400# and K at 200# (or 2 to 1 ratio) plus adequate water soluable Ca.

 

FACTS ABOUT NEMATODES:

• They thrive in arid deserts, icy saltiness of arctic seas and some farmlands (similarities-salt).
• Some educated men of Agriculture are trying to win the battle against nematodes by developing resistant plants for the species of nematode; only to find that a new species normally pops up within the next growing season to harm the crop!! Why?? There are over 10,000 species of nematodes. There are normally hundreds of species in each soil type, only waiting for the right salty-unbalance condition to come along. Breeding isn’t solving the problem, only treating the symptom of the problem.
• High humus-low salt soils will not allow nematodes to live. Humic acid produced on high humus soil will destroy harmful nematodes. In high humus soil, beneficial fungi, such as the fungi imperfecta families thrive. These fungi are “nematode eaters” – they can remove all active nematodes.