Root Knot Nematodes

F

figginawesome

Member
I'm just here to vent.  I have around 100 plus trees in 10/15/20 gallon pots and almost 75% of them have RKN.  Mitigating the issue is completely daunting.  If I don't take care of the issue this year, it will most likely spread to the uninfected plants.   Yes...I know I can airlayer, but again, daunting because I can't just do one airlayer, I have to do at least 2 for each tree as a back-up.   It just seems like such a waste of years to get rid of nice thick trunks.  I have no idea if these thicker trees trunks will survive RKN, but my guess is that it won't because most of them bore very few or no fruits.   My question is can I airlayer a 2 inch trunk?  I'm thinking about trying them with a 1 gallon pot.  Or is it just a waste of time and effort?  I have no idea how long it would take to get roots, but I imagine at least 2 months or more for something so thick.  So much work and a little part of me wants to just give up the hobby.  I guess I just hate the thought of starting over again.  
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If it’s a potted tree with RKN, it’s doomed in a matter of time.

The first cutting I ever rooted has a ~2” trunk and severe RKN galls. Although it produced well again this year, the leaves and figs were much smaller than previous years. I was going to air layer it in the Spring, as you mention it could take longer to root, but I’m going to take a few cuttings and trash the rest.

I’ve come to realize once RKN is in your yard, it’s hard to prevent spread into neighboring areas and pots. So, I feel your frustration.
 
bushdoctor82 said:
If it’s a potted tree with RKN, it’s doomed in a matter of time.

The first cutting I ever rooted has a ~2” trunk and severe RKN galls. Although it produced well again this year, the leaves and figs were much smaller than previous years. I was going to air layer it in the Spring, as you mention it could take longer to root, but I’m going to take a few cuttings and trash the rest.

I’ve come to realize once RKN is in your yard, it’s hard to prevent spread into neighboring areas and pots. So, I feel your frustration.
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Thanks for the info. I was planning on doing my airlayers for the next month (It's how long I expect it will take). But, I like the idea of airlayering the bigger trunks next spring because it may take longer to root and I might need the plant to go out or domancy for it too really take off. The tree isn't dead, it's still good for now, but then again...I hate that it may spread to the uninfected ones. I think the RKN was entirely my fault. I resused old soil to uppot my trees. I did it to myself. I didn't have RKN until this year....after I had uppoted a LOT of my trees. Live and learn.
 
I read that RKN prefer sandy soils.  What would happen if you changed the potting mix to say mainly bark and peat? Would they avoid your trees in the future? I would think yes and they would die off if in your new mix.
 
Have you read up on "wood vinegar"? I have never tried it. And have read good and bad things about it. But it is supposed to help get rid of RKN.
 
figginawesome said:
ktrain said:
Dang, I'm sorry to hear that as well.
Are you in Florida?
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California...I did hear that Florida has a bad case of it.
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Ah okay...To be honest I didn't know Cali had that issue.
Or parts of it anyway.
I hope you find a solution soon.
 
JMF75 said:
Do you have a plan of action ?
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Air layer as many as I can.  Maybe a few big trunks during next spring.  Maybe...LOL.  I'm going to see if using neem meal/cake on the top layer of the soil and then drenching with some neem oil/castile soap with peppermint would help kill some off and also prevent more from spreading.   Another solution yanking them all out of the pots after airlayering and tossing away everything...which I feel is like SUCH A WASTE of soil...I'll be throwing away thousands of dollars of soil, mulch, etc.  SMH.  WHICH is why if I keep thinking about it...I might want to just give up...cut them all down...sell the cuttings...and maybe or maybe not start all over....or just give up on the whole thing.   AND before anyone suggests that I trying solar baking the soil etc...I don't have the time or space...and summer is almost coming to an end.  Anyhoo.  Just thoughts.
 
This YouTuber is doing ‘stool layers’ on some of his trees, starts at about the 9 minute mark.


Maybe this would work if the pot is elevated, would that keep nematodes out?
 
Fungus kills RKN. Chemical fertilizers kill the fungus that attacks RKN.

If you want to deal effectively with it, you need to increase soil microbiology in your yard and eliminate synthetics— fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides.

Using fungal dominate composts will be your friend. Wood chips increase fungal dominance as well. Leaf litter also helps.

We aren’t talking about mycorrhizae, which is its own type and does nothing about RKN.

Blue oyster mushroom mycelium growth also has been shown to help attack RKN.

Look to making your yard and potting mixes fungal dominate, not bacterial. Trees prefer fungus anyways.
 
If you try to save some, research essential oils (thymol, etc.), neem oil soil drenches, nematode killing fungi (there are several hundred), and soil character (mineral, wood content).

www.mdpi.com

Essential Oils as Nematicides in Plant Protection—A Review

By 2030, the European Commission intends to halve chemical pesticide use and its consequent risks. Among pesticides, nematicides are chemical agents used to control parasitic roundworms in agriculture. In recent decades, researchers have been looking for more sustainable alternatives with the...
www.mdpi.com www.mdpi.com
 
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