root knot nematodes
 

I need a new way to combat rootknot nematodes in my hot and sandy soil.
The best thing I have found is sorghum as a summer cover crop. It either
kills or repels the little devils but the roots are big and tough and hard to
till under. Sesame seems to suppress them but struggles in the summer heat.
Any non-chemical miracle cures?

[QUOTE=chance;310020]I need a new way to combat rootknot nematodes in my hot and sandy soil.
The best thing I have found is sorghum as a summer cover crop. It either
kills or repels the little devils but the roots are big and tough and hard to
till under. Sesame seems to suppress them but struggles in the summer heat.
Any non-chemical miracle cures?[/QUOTE]

Chance, best thing I found, and it has always worked for me is to put a piece of black plastic over my soil area in the high heat of the summer and leave it there for a month. It will kill any weeds present and also the RKNs. It won't help you this year though.:( There are several nematode resistant varieties you can buy seed for too, chances are you already knew that I bet! TomatoGrowersSupply has several for example.
RKNs are one of the reasons I grow in Self watering containers now, I can grow any variety, not just resistant ones, and they can't get in.;)
SWCs also keep them always watered and there is always fertilizer and garden lime for them too, so they just go wild in them. Last year was my first year doing it that way, and I grew some in the ground too as a control, and the ones in the Earthboxes (SWCs) ATE THEIR LUNCH!!! More than twice as tall and many more fruits.
That's how I get around the Nematodes.
-Marsha

Here are a couple links that might interest. Ami

[url]http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijn&volume=36&issue=2&article=019[/url]

[url]http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0202495016357.html[/url]

You might find that making up a plant dip consisting of Actinovate, Biota Max and MycoGrow soluable might help. When Planting out your seedlings dip the roots in the dip solution prior to planting. Ami

Neem Cake has worked well for me this year.
There is an added bonus that it is also a fertilizer.
A search on neem cake gives many links mentioning it's properties in relation to controlling root knot nematodes.