Most people talk about the good nematodes. Let me tell you of the
bad ones. No, no sneaking out of the room, there - you are GOING
to hear this!

As I understand it, my spraing (tobacco rattle virus) problems are
caused by it being transmitted by nematodes from host plants. The
solution is to eliminate all weeds - but the virus has the widest
host range of any known plant virus, including daisies, chickweed
and black nightshade (all persistent annual weeds in my garden).
And then to grow alfafa for 3 months, because the nematodes can't
catch it from that and lose it when they moult. Oh, yeah, in a
100-100 square yard plot :-(

But last year one of my French beans got a virus with very spraing-
like symptoms, and produced a dire crop - I discover that tobacco
rattle virus has been found in Phaseolus vulgaris ....

While chasing that up, I find that there is a bean stem nematode,
which very much matches my germination problems with peas and beans
(especially Phaseolus vulgaris varieties). Oh, joy!

No, I am NOT inclined to buy a tanker load of Nemik 10 and soak the
soil in it, but that seems to be the only thing that has much effect.

Oh, and wet weather increases the populations of nematodes, which
explains why the problem has been getting worse. The dry summers of
10+ years ago kept their numbers down. Last summer, on the other
hand, was nematode heaven ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote

Most people talk about the good nematodes. Let me tell you of the
bad ones. No, no sneaking out of the room, there - you are GOING
to hear this!

As I understand it, my spraing (tobacco rattle virus) problems are
caused by it being transmitted by nematodes from host plants. The
solution is to eliminate all weeds - but the virus has the widest
host range of any known plant virus, including daisies, chickweed
and black nightshade (all persistent annual weeds in my garden).
And then to grow alfafa for 3 months, because the nematodes can't
catch it from that and lose it when they moult. Oh, yeah, in a
100-100 square yard plot :-(

But last year one of my French beans got a virus with very spraing-
like symptoms, and produced a dire crop - I discover that tobacco
rattle virus has been found in Phaseolus vulgaris ....

While chasing that up, I find that there is a bean stem nematode,
which very much matches my germination problems with peas and beans
(especially Phaseolus vulgaris varieties). Oh, joy!

No, I am NOT inclined to buy a tanker load of Nemik 10 and soak the
soil in it, but that seems to be the only thing that has much effect.

Oh, and wet weather increases the populations of nematodes, which
explains why the problem has been getting worse. The dry summers of
10+ years ago kept their numbers down. Last summer, on the other
hand, was nematode heaven ....


You forgot to mention that Nematodes are also known as Roundworms and that
there are more than 10,000 species some are free living and others are
parasitic.

Best known are the parasite forms that infest man.
Some well known illnesses caused by Nematodes are...
Ascariasis
Capillariasis (you'll never eat Sushi again) :-)
Elephantiasis
Pinworm Infection (does your bum itch?)
River Blindness
Whipworm Infection

Sleep well :-)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
The dry summers of
10+ years ago kept their numbers down. Last summer, on the other
hand, was nematode heaven ....

A nematode specialist of my acquaintance used to claim that if
everything apart from nematodes suddenly became invisible, you would
still see the ghost of the world as you know it, outlined in nematodes
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

I read that putting broken egg shells around the roots of the plants that
are being or going to be bothered by nematodes, will get rid of them. It
seems that there is another little bug that loves the lining of egg shells.
When you bury them, these bugs move in. Then they find the nematode eggs
and realize that they like those better than egg shells, and gets rid of
nematodes by killing the babies. Apparently the new bugs are harmless to
your garden and to you, but that they are very effective at getting rid of
the pests.

Dwayne


"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

Most people talk about the good nematodes. Let me tell you of the
bad ones. No, no sneaking out of the room, there - you are GOING
to hear this!

As I understand it, my spraing (tobacco rattle virus) problems are
caused by it being transmitted by nematodes from host plants. The
solution is to eliminate all weeds - but the virus has the widest
host range of any known plant virus, including daisies, chickweed
and black nightshade (all persistent annual weeds in my garden).
And then to grow alfafa for 3 months, because the nematodes can't
catch it from that and lose it when they moult. Oh, yeah, in a
100-100 square yard plot :-(

But last year one of my French beans got a virus with very spraing-
like symptoms, and produced a dire crop - I discover that tobacco
rattle virus has been found in Phaseolus vulgaris ....

While chasing that up, I find that there is a bean stem nematode,
which very much matches my germination problems with peas and beans
(especially Phaseolus vulgaris varieties). Oh, joy!

No, I am NOT inclined to buy a tanker load of Nemik 10 and soak the
soil in it, but that seems to be the only thing that has much effect.

Oh, and wet weather increases the populations of nematodes, which
explains why the problem has been getting worse. The dry summers of
10+ years ago kept their numbers down. Last summer, on the other
hand, was nematode heaven ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Dwayne wrote:
I read that putting broken egg shells around the roots of the plants that
are being or going to be bothered by nematodes, will get rid of them. It
seems that there is another little bug that loves the lining of egg shells.
When you bury them, these bugs move in. Then they find the nematode eggs
and realize that they like those better than egg shells, and gets rid of
nematodes by killing the babies. Apparently the new bugs are harmless to
your garden and to you, but that they are very effective at getting rid of
the pests.

Interesting. Unfortunately, we don't eat that many eggs :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote after
Dwayne :
I read that putting broken egg shells around the roots of the plants that
are being or going to be bothered by nematodes, will get rid of them. It
seems that there is another little bug that loves the lining of egg
shells.
When you bury them, these bugs move in. Then they find the nematode eggs
and realize that they like those better than egg shells, and gets rid of
nematodes by killing the babies. Apparently the new bugs are harmless to
your garden and to you, but that they are very effective at getting rid of
the pests.

Interesting. Unfortunately, we don't eat that many eggs :-(


A local Canteen/Cafe/Restaurant perhaps?
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

On 2/15/05 1:09 AM, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:

In article ,
Dwayne wrote:
I read that putting broken egg shells around the roots of the plants that
are being or going to be bothered by nematodes, will get rid of them. It
seems that there is another little bug that loves the lining of egg shells.
When you bury them, these bugs move in. Then they find the nematode eggs
and realize that they like those better than egg shells, and gets rid of
nematodes by killing the babies. Apparently the new bugs are harmless to
your garden and to you, but that they are very effective at getting rid of
the pests.

Interesting. Unfortunately, we don't eat that many eggs :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Dwayne did not say you have to eat any eggs, all you have to do is 'have the
shells'. But then maybe it won't work. And you will never know...until...