Backyard Aquaponics :: View topic - Companion Planting and Plant Rotation

"Control of nematodes can be difficult - in soil, fumigation, crop rotation and growing of resistant varieties are the main ways of controlling the pests. In hydroponics, a severe nematode infestation will mean the system needs to be stopped and cleaned out with infected plants and media removed and destroyed to prevent reinfestation. Sterilisation agents such as H2O2, or chlorine can be used to clean the system. Nutrient solutions need to be replaced and clean, sterile media and nematode free seedlings replanted. Identifying how nematodes entered the system in the first place is also important to prevent re-infestation.

Summary
Nematodes, fungus gnat larvae and algae are all hydroponic 'parasites', using the nutrients, plant roots and favourable environment provided by growers to multiply and potentially cause a great deal of damage. Luckily, all these potential parasites can be prevented and controlled so that problems don't become severe and plant growth seriously affected. Recognising these types of nutrient and media problems is important, but so too is preplanning so the pests and algae don't find conditions in your hydroponic system favourable enough to bother hanging round and settling in."

Author:	BobCampbell [ Jan 31st, '13, 02:05 ]
Post subject:	Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
Is companion planting important in aquaponics? For example will bush bean and peppers grow better together? Do they have to be in the same container, the same system, or simply in the same green house? What about successive crop rotation. Can beans for example be planted in the same media year after year?

Author:	keith [ Jan 31st, '13, 02:13 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
crop rotation in soil is used primarily to minimize nutrient deficiencies.. in ap the nutrients are basically "in solution" so are evenly spread throught the growbeds that's not to say you won't find some plants or specific nutrients lacking, especially in a "new" system.. but if you provide a good feed for your fish (and don't over-stock/over-feed), a mature system will have fewer deficiencies, and any that may creep in can usually be treated with a fish safe method i've not personally tried companion planting, with the exception of having marigolds around the outdoor garden (and in ap when it was outside) to attract good bugs

Author:	DrLuke [ Jan 31st, '13, 03:36 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
Greenharvest have a good bug mix.....just watch out for the "red clover" in it. If I'm understanding correctly, crop rotation also tries to account for/mitigate the spread of soil borne diseases to next years crop. Firstly...those diseases have to be able to survive in water to be a prob in AP...secondly...you will pull your hair out over treating powdery mildew, aphids, caterpillars, and slugs, with "fish + human safe" products long before you start worrying about any diseases staying in the media.

Author:	BobCampbell [ Jan 31st, '13, 11:52 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
I think I found an answer that is backed up by some actual research from http://www.simplyhydro.com/nutrient_problems.htm Quote: "Control of nematodes can be difficult - in soil, fumigation, crop rotation and growing of resistant varieties are the main ways of controlling the pests. In hydroponics, a severe nematode infestation will mean the system needs to be stopped and cleaned out with infected plants and media removed and destroyed to prevent reinfestation. Sterilisation agents such as H2O2, or chlorine can be used to clean the system. Nutrient solutions need to be replaced and clean, sterile media and nematode free seedlings replanted. Identifying how nematodes entered the system in the first place is also important to prevent re-infestation. Summary Nematodes, fungus gnat larvae and algae are all hydroponic 'parasites', using the nutrients, plant roots and favourable environment provided by growers to multiply and potentially cause a great deal of damage. Luckily, all these potential parasites can be prevented and controlled so that problems don't become severe and plant growth seriously affected. Recognising these types of nutrient and media problems is important, but so too is preplanning so the pests and algae don't find conditions in your hydroponic system favourable enough to bother hanging round and settling in."

Author:	DrLuke [ Jan 31st, '13, 13:51 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
Interesting

Backyard Aquaponics http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/

Companion Planting and Plant Rotation http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15126	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Charlie [ Jan 31st, '13, 13:53 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
I think corn is the only veg I plant in companionship. Interesting article

Author:	Lyndon346 [ Jan 31st, '13, 17:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
On the gardenate website they have reccomendations on which plants are compatible to grow with, which one's to avoid and a rotation system. Not sure how much can be used with aquaponics though.

Author:	bigwill [ Jan 31st, '13, 20:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
I always plant marigolds with tomatoes, both in dirt and ap gardens. For the bee's mainly

Author:	Erich [ Jan 31st, '13, 20:52 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
nematodes can be controlled by sugar! A strong solution mixed with water, water in before you plant, once the nematodes eat the solution - they explode. Yes - its a fact, it kills them

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Feb 1st, '13, 09:16 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
I think the key thing to remember about the article.. was reference to soil on seedling plugs...as a method by which nematodes are introduced into hydroponics.... Most people wash off the soil from seedlings when planting into AP... I've seen nematodes in hydroponics... but in almost every case/operation.... their bio-security was either haphazard... or completely non-existant... I haven't seen anything I can attribute to nematodes in any aquaponic system...

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Feb 1st, '13, 09:18 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
If I've got the luxy of grow bed space... and time... I do tend to "turn over" the grow bed, removing most of the roots.... and leave the grow bed "fallow" for a period before replanting.. especially after large root ball crops like tomatoes...

Author:	KrisGee [ Feb 1st, '13, 09:59 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
Just my fourpennyworth. Rupe's sugeestion of "turning over the beds" seems to be sensible in that you would be able to check for ROOT infestation!! ie clogging up the various pipes etc. This may sound silly, but are there any fish that eat the roots? Could you "remove" most of the media, throw in the correct type of fish, and allow them to clean? I know this is common practice in China when planting out the rice. The small fish are used for mosquito control rather than root control, but there are certain carp that are used to clean waterways. Could this be done in "miniature" in an AP setup. Yes, I know it is a lot of work but hmmm, worth thinking about?

Author:	Yavimaya [ Feb 1st, '13, 10:13 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
Shouldnt the composting worms be taking care of old root bases?

Author:	DrLuke [ Feb 1st, '13, 11:12 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
If you are pulling out the media, the old roots will come with it anyway.

Page 1 of 2	All times are UTC + 8 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group https://www.phpbb.com/

Author:	BobCampbell [ Feb 3rd, '13, 05:42 ]
Post subject:	Re: Companion Planting and Plant Rotation
DrLuke wrote: If you are pulling out the media, the old roots will come with it anyway. I'm pretty sure nematodes, and fungus would remain