How to Kill Nematodes in Soil
Nematodes are small, worm-like creatures that can attach themselves to the roots of your plants and cut of nutrition that should be sent above ground. They can be difficult to remove, but there is a simple way to deal with these pests without pumping poison into your garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Destroy nematodes through the use of solarization if you are interested in a green, pesticide-free technique. This method increases the soil temperature to a point where nematodes can't survive.
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Dig a trench 6 inches deep and a foot across surrounding the infested area. Moisten the soil and make sure it is free of weeds. Turn the soil over to a depth of 12 inches.
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Place clear, heavy-duty plastic sheeting over the soil and trenches. Put the dirt you removed to make the trenches on top of the sheeting covering the trenches. This will anchor the sheeting.
It is important that you do not use black sheeting because it will absorb most of the heat itself, instead of transferring the heat to the soil.
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Leave the sheeting on for four to six weeks during a hot time of the year. The soil will reach temperatures at which nematodes can't survive.
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Call a professional if you want to chemically treat the soil rather than try solarization. The types of pesticide that are effective against nematodes are not sold over the counter, because they tend to be very toxic and dangerous to work with.
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Tips & Warnings
The technique of solarization works not only on nematodes, but on weeds and weed seeds as well. It is therefore a terrific way to improve your soil. However, it will also destroy some beneficial bacteria and insects, so work a good bit of manure into the soil after you remove the sheeting. This will restore what you want in the soil.
