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Entry Date
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Location
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Tuesday, March 24, 2026
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TowneFamilyVT
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Vermont
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Entry 6 of 6 |
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Nematode Eviction Notice
Got my Western Labs test today.
Good news: zero Root Knot.
The catch: 620 Root Lesion nematodes. They won't kill a giant outright, but they chew up roots and leave the door open for disease.
Then I had a realization. That clear plastic warming my soil (55F today, almost 20 degrees warmer than outside!)? It's creating a "green bridge"; an all-you-can-eat warm buffet for nematodes to feed on the grass and multiply before the pumpkin gets transplanted.
So, I'm issuing an eviction notice.
Instead of tilling the grass in, I'm using a sod cutter to peel off the top two inches of turf. This physically removes the root mass and carts the highest nematode concentration right out of the patch. Then, I'll broadfork to crack the hardpan, and throw the clear plastic back on to bake the bare dirt and starve the rest.
What's your go-to for nematode pressure? Mustard crops, bio-drenches, or physical removal? Let me know!
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