This
is the last week that I will be posting to the Yahoo group site. You will be
able to read my weekly email at my blog site or to receive an email that you
can order veggies from, please look at the addresses that follow later in this
email.
Last
week was a real wild ride The Little Brown Dog got rolled by the truck and
received some cuts and a very sore body for a day or two and then acted like
nothing happened. Myself five stitches an immensely swollen hand a week of
healing and I am almost where I was week ago Tuesday. Oh this too will pass. I
appreciated every ones kind words for the both of us.
Good
morning, I have used soil solarization several times. This organic treatment is
very labor intensive to do but the benefits are well worth the effort. Here in
West Texas there is only one time period during the year when it is most
effective and that is during the months of May and June. These are our most sunny
and hottest months.
What
soil solarization does is heat the top 6 to 8 inches of soil to 120 - 130
degrees. This affectively sterilizes this portion of the soil horizon. It kills
everything or causes critters to move out. Once the treatment is completed this
soil is quickly recolonized with beneficial soil microbes and this really
boosts soil fertility. This also can boost a farm’s production quantities.
The
main reason I have done it is to combat root knot nematodes (RKN). RKN females enter the roots of plants and
cause galls or root knots to form. The galls are the results of egg laying and
feeding on the roots. Fortunately RKN are very slow movers in the soil, by
their own mobility they will move less than three feet a year. Man is probably
the biggest transporter of RKN. Contaminated farming equipment can transport
them miles away. Just hosing off farm equipment can slow their spread
immensely.
When I
was unaware of my “little garden friends”, I inadvertently spread them to more
beds. This has slowed with my awareness. I have observed RKN in 13 of my 32
beds. I have not noticed any new contamination in a year. This has been
achieved by washing off tools in the bed I just finished preparing for
planting.
I have
also slowed the spread by mapping the contamination sites within a bed. When I
prep a bed, I work from clean areas toward contaminated. The use of compost has
helped too. This introduces into the soil bacteria that are unfriendly to RKN.
The planting of certain crops can also slow their colonization. The mustard family that includes broccoli and
friends, produce natural nemicides when they decompose. Garlic and onions also
are unfriendly to them. I planted a very infected bed to garlic last fall and
this summer was then planted to summer squash. When I pulled and examined the
roots, I did notice a fair amount of root galling. Even so this bed did produce
squash quite nicely.
These
are a lot of different means to combat RKN but soil solarization smokes all
these techniques hands down. Like I said it is very labor intensive or I would
do it more.
How it
is done; the bed is prepped just like it is going to be planted. This is done
so the soil will not be disturbed after the process. The bed needs to be well
watered so that heat will be transported down into the soil. Once the bed is
prepped, a six inch trench is dug around the bed. This is the big labor thing
because my beds are up to 4.5 feet wide and 46 feet long. It is very important
that the bed is extremely flat. Clear plastic is laid down over the bed. It is
then stretched tight and the edge of the plastic is covered by the refilling of
the trench. This is important so that the day time heat is not lost. Once the
plastic is in place sit back and let it cook, the longer the better. I try for
8 weeks during May and June.
Once
the process is completed the plastic is taken off, trench refilled. You then
need to be very careful not to disturb the bed more than you have to when you
plant it. Disturbance could bring RKN back to the surface.
I
think it is important to note that not all plastics are equal. I would not use
off the shelf store bought plastic. THIS
product will start to disintegrate into small pieces before the process is
done. (Experience!). You need to use greenhouse film. Available at G & M Ag
Supply, Johnny’s selected seeds, and Peaceful Valley Farm Supply to name a few
suppliers.
Of my
13 infected beds I have solarized 5 or 6. Of these beds only one I have noticed
an influx of RKN. The others seem to be RKN free but the positions where the
RKN were are still noted so that I can check to see if the RKN are making a
resurrection.
This
is soil solarization in a nut shell; check out the site listed below for more
information on solarization.
The
summer veggies are just about gone. There are jalapenos, some chili’s,
eggplant, beans and okra. The toms are all but finished, first the root knot
nematodes then the western yellowing disease (transmitted by white flies), pin
worms, powdery mildew.
It is
interesting to note that this is the first year ever that I have had mildew on
the toms and some chili’s. I think this is an indication that we have
experienced very high humidity this year with a very stubborn high pressure
that did not allow thunder storms to develop except when we had disturbances in
the atmosphere to allow for convection to develop.
Anyway
with the white flies and pin worms covering with fabric is the best prevention
but not having the covers on is the best prevention of mildew.
Research
has shown me that pin worm moths fly at night. I have not seen for white flies
if they have a less active time.
Systemically
administered Neem products would protect for the pin worms. It would also
control the white flies too but… if my logic is correct it is the feeding that
transmits the virus similar to mosquitoes and malaria. The bug is dead but it
has passed on its “care package”. So covering is the best prevention. Baking
soda and neem oil (either one cold pressed or clarified) works very well at
controlling mildew but I have also noticed that neem oil on peppers will cause
flowers to abort. It is always something!!!
On an
interesting note here is a link to a site about a documentary movie on urban
agriculture. It fits very nicely into my thoughts that everyone should grow
some food even if it is just one container with a tomato. The article also
notes that the movie will be on PBS later this fall. Have a look. http://ecowatch.com/2014/10/20/urban-farming-revitalize-america/?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=c1bb8ac3e2-Top_News_10_21_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-c1bb8ac3e2-85338065
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