Nematodes - Know Thy Enemy

One of the biggest threats that plants in the Florida garden face is the root knot nematode (often abbreviated rkn). Nematodes are tiny and live in the soil. Some benefit the soil ecosystem and the plants growing in it. Root knot nematodes, however, do nothing but harm. They feed on the roots and cause blockages. This means that the roots cannot take up water or nutrients, no matter how much you water or feed them. Leaves turn yellow, and whole sections of the plant eventually go limp and die. After first learning about nematodes, I checked a dead tomato plant when I pulled it out to confirm. Sure enough, the roots were very blocky, short, and covered with little modules. Uggggh!!! This news frustrated me because I had read that nematodes are pretty much impossible to eradicate. There are definitely remedies that keep them somewhat at bay (post coming up), but no cure-all. If you're gardening in Florida, chances are you too will deal with nematodes because they LOVE sandy soil and heat (nematode damage is worse in the summer).