A home game against microscopic opponents
There has been quite a stooshie in recent weeks regarding the state of the pitch at Murrayfield, indeed almost as much as there has been about what is happening on the surface.
Many of us can remember when that playing surface was regarded as one of the finest anywhere.
Times have changed, we are going through a bad patch. I’m still talking about the turf, by the way.
The microscopic varmints that have created the havoc are nematodes (eelworms).
Gardeners are familiar with the problems created by a whole range of these organisms, affecting bulbs, tomatoes, chrysanthemum and potatoes. These organisms basically invade the tissues and block the veins, and plants can die as a result.
The problem is two-fold.
Once you’ve got ’em, they will be there for a long time.
In the absence of suitable hosts, these organisms can go into a “resting phase” lasting for decades.
The second problem is that they are extremely difficult to control – in an economic sense.
At one time, the answer was to steam sterilise the affected areas of soil.
The steam was injected into the soil to a depth of about 45cm through a grid of (hoddesdon) pipes dug into the ground and linked to a steam hose from a boiler.
The process was not sterilising but pasteurising – when the soil temperature was raised to about 80C (180F) all the baddies, such as eelworms and fungus diseases, were killed off whilst beneficial organisms remained intact.
The process became too expensive and other options were adopted.
The extraordinary thing about nature is that the same organism can be good or bad, depending on the situation.
One of the latest organic techniques for controlling pests is to use nematodes, in fact.
There is a whole range of them contained in most soils where they self-regulate depending on food supplies as part of the soil fauna.
Take selected species and hugely increase their population in a restricted area and let the battle for food commence – you have an insecticide by any other name.
We use Nemasys to control vine weevil; Nemaslug to control slugs and so it goes on.
On the other hand, what do you do when they arrive in significant numbers and create havoc in a hallowed piece of turf?
The answer doon the road is to spray with garlic.
The groundstaff at Murrayfield are caught between a rock and a hard place because garlic is not an insecticide or a nematicide. It will certainly not provide an instant solution to the problem.
Let me explain.
We have been using garlic sprays on our fruit crops at Beechgrove Garden for the last two years following a very interesting discussion with the man who started it all – Hugh Struth.
A bit of a zealot maybe, but we listened and agreed to “have a go”.
Here is the argument as succinctly as I can make it.
The mission statement from his company runs like this: “Our products are not insecticides, pesticides or fungicides, they are simply a method of growing crops in a sustainable way by reducing or eliminating the need for chemical treatments.”
Aye right! So how does the magic work? Well, essentially, regular foliar sprays with garlic-based products is a prophylactic approach, it is not a quick fix.
Basically, the garlic products, sometimes mixed with seaweed extract, are applied regularly in the growing season, stimulating the natural ability of plants to resist pest and disease attack.
It is a growth “enabler”. In other words, the harmful organism is repelled.
I can tell you that there is a huge commercial market for these products, so one has to accept that they will help us to win the battle, eventually.
As for Beechgrove? Going in to our third season using garlic, but I’m still not convinced. . .
Murrayfield – time to roll out the hybrid!
New recruits wanted
Groovy Growits, the name attributed to the junior section of the RHS of Aberdeen, need more recruits.
This year, they have been asked to design and plant a border outside the Winter Gardens on the theme of, Going for Gold with Pollinators as a contribution to Britain in Bloom.
They have also been offered one of the community plots at Duthie Park and intend to plant it up with, among other things, currant bushes, raspberries and vegetables.
The group, which is for eight to 15-year-olds, meets on the last Sunday of each month, from 2-3.30pm in the Education Glasshouse, Duthie Park, Aberdeen.
If you or your family are interested contact Lesley Glasser on 01224 712605 or via e-mail at lesleyglasser@btinternet.com