Nematode Control In Organic Vegetables

Nematodes are small organisms found everywhere.  There are more than 20,000 different species of nematodes.  Some are beneficial, but a few are parasites, attacking either plants or animals.  Nematode control in organic vegetables is one of the thorns in an organic gardener’s side.  Once parasitic nematodes are in the soil, they’re tough to get rid of without chemical controls.

The best method of nematode control in organic vegetables is to keep them out.  It’s important not to transfer any soil from an infested area into your organic patch.  Since you never know for sure whether an area is infested or not, make sure to remove all soil from any equipment when moving it from one field to another. The most common plant parasitic nematode produces round lumps, or galls, on the roots of the plants.  If you pull up a plant and find those galls, you’ve got nematodes.  They can decimate your crop if they’re not controlled.

There are several methods of nematode control in organic vegetables.  Rotating crops is one method.  Some vegetables are more resistant to nematodes than others, and if there aren’t any susceptible vegetables for them to infect, the nematodes die out.

Another method of nematode control in organic vegetables is fallowing.  Leaving the soil fallow for a year or two will starve the nematodes in the soil.  The fallow areas must be kept weed free, though, because some nematodes feed on the weeds, too.

Companion planting is a method of nematode control in organic vegetables.  French marigolds secrete a substance through their roots that kill nematodes, so planting marigolds among your organic veggies will help.

The easiest method of nematode control in organic vegetables is to add organic material to the soil.  Scientists are not quite sure why, but compost and peat moss seem to kill nematodes.  Adding plenty of compost to your soil—which is a hallmark of organic gardening--not only enriches the soil, but also controls nematodes.