biofumigant

[bravo2zero]

I was talking to one of the newbies on my site the other week about holey spuds from his plot ,wireworm was the culprit. He had been to the local gardening shop for help and was advised that mustard as a green manure was good for reducing wireworm when dug in green. Then upon opening Marshalls catalogue when it landed they are marketing a specific type of mustard green manure as a biofumigant. Has anybody used it and do the claims hold up?

[Snadger]

Caliente mustard is the kiddy! Haven't used it myself............but I will when I get round to it.
As its a brassica you don't really want to be planting brassica's shortly afterwards though!

[Two_Sheds]

wireworm was the culprit.

Wireworm prefers undisturbed grassland. Once you start cultivating the soil, the wireworm should be under control (http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/quest...ive_me_on_wire)

Control methods here

Control using mustard green manures here

[zazen999]

Plant Solutions Limited - Biofumigation and Green Manure - Caliente Mustard

[Two_Sheds]

Interesting link from Zaz there, esp. this bit "To create the best biofumigation effect, Caliente Mustard plants must be chopped as finely as possible [to release the gases] before immediately incorporating into soil, simply ploughing in the crop will not give the same effect"

[SarzWix]

So, strim it, or mow it first, then immediately turn it in? Sounds like a fairly intensive job if you're doing a big patch and don't have/want to use a rotovator.

[Two_Sheds]

It does.
I'm still convinced that the wireworms will clear off now the land is being cultivated. You get the same problem with chafer grubs in lawns. They love lawns, but once you start digging it up to make a veg patch, they clear off

[SarzWix]

And when it's turned, the birds get a chance to pick out a lot more too

It sounds like the mustard might be useful in ground that is 'over' cultivated - it sounds like it might help to prevent soil diseases from building up, and promote beneficial bacteria. But then mulching in general can help with the latter...

[Snadger]

And when it's turned, the birds get a chance to pick out a lot more too

It sounds like the mustard might be useful in ground that is 'over' cultivated - it sounds like it might help to prevent soil diseases from building up, and promote beneficial bacteria. But then mulching in general can help with the latter...

Bloomin eck Sarz! Have you beeen swatting up again!