Andy Rollins, the Commercial Horticulture Agent for the Upstate, has been working on a project to help growers fumigate the soil more safely and effectively. This process will help treat and prevent soil-borne diseases and nematodes. In the past growers have used shank type fumigation that involves pulling a plastic bedding machine that has injection shanks in the middle of the bed. The fumigant is carried on the tractor also and is run through shanks. Using this method the machine is picked up and put down at the end of every row and lifted in the air. Workers on the ground assisting are often exposed to fumigant vapors from dripping lines. Andy is showing growers how to put the gas into the drip system to allow the water to distribute it more efficiently. This is a closed system with much less exposure for all. Andy has done on-farm demonstrations three times already this year and has three more planned. At Andy’s last demonstration meeting in August growers from at least three states gathered to learn this technique.
