What on earth (see what we did there?) is a nematode? 

It’s a worm that operates as a parasite to plants and animals – and it feeds on all types of soil life. 

There are 6 kinds of nematodes and they can be categorised through their food preferences:

• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Algae 
• Carnivorous 
• Omnivorous  
• Herbivorous 

Is there a place for nematodes in the ecosystem?

They are vital in the ecosystem as they indicate that the soil is healthy – they control the amounts of fungi and bacteria. They also release nutrients back into the earth. 

Nematodes eat and are eaten – they’re part of the circle of life, therefore, to remove them completely from the ecosystem could be very damaging. 

However, there are good and bad nematodes. We just want to manage the ‘bad-guys’ in a pesticide-free way. 

The baddies are the plant parasitic nematodes which cause substantial deprivation in agriculture. 

How, then, do we control the harmful nematodes organically?

As soil is the essential component in agriculture and gardening, any damage caused by nematodes can cause poor quality produce and decreased crop yield

Soil strength is key. 

With our Superfly fertiliser, created with black soldier fly castings and exoskeletons (our favourite insect EVER), it is possible to manage the harmful effects of parasitic nematodes.

How does it work?

A molecule named chitin, which is naturally concentrated in black soldier fly larvae shedded exoskeletins, has been proven to build resistance against parasitic nematodes.

Introducing concentrated chitin into the soil promotes the growth of special bacteria that attack harmful nematode eggs and fungi. 

Chitin brings other benefits to the soil:

• Activates natural plant defences to strengthen cell walls, making more resilient plants
• Increases the amount of nitrogen available to plants and soil microbes, making the fertiliser more efficient, increasing plant growth and overall soil health. 

Want to know more about the other ingredients in our fertilisers?

‍Get in touch with us today for pricing and more information about how Superfly can help you.