A sad tale of brassicas

Janeymiddlewife · « **on:** November 10, 2008, 17:03 »

A fair maiden (me) once wished to grow bounteus crops of PSb and savoy cabbage.
She was diligent and carefully nurtured her seedlings. She proudly planted them out in limed soil and carefully and lovingly placed a collar around each one.
She need not have bothered - they were wiped out by cabbage white who tunneled under the fleece and got the lot.
Underterred, she wiped away a tear and started over with some home grown seedling and some plugs purchased from ye olde garden centre.
"This time it shall be different" she thought - I'll plant them in large tubs, with fresh limed compost, near to the castle (OK semi detached) so the birds of the air (pigeons) can't get them - too late for CWbutterflies.
Weeks passed
Her crop grew large and healthy until, one day on passing she noticed 2 were drooping.
Distraught she pulled them up to find white grubs eating the roots and an earwig scuttling away.
What foul pestilence hath befallen the fair maiden's crop
and what can she do about it please?

Bobbeh · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2008, 18:08 »

Cabbage root fly? Almost all my radishes got destroyed by them. Well I think it was them. Maggots eating the roots.

SalJ1980 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 10, 2008, 18:34 »

No idea I'm afraid Janey, but I liked the story!

AndyRVTR · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2008, 19:04 »

I think this may help in the future.... Surround the stem with a 10cm (4 inch) mat with a slit cut into it for the stem to prevent cabbage root fly from destroying the roots. Use fine mesh or fleece over the summer to prevent butterflies laying eggs on the underside of leaves as caterpillars can destroy the plants.

peapod · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2008, 20:15 »

Sorry about the content but the story was great!

Id bury the fleece slightly under the soil next time, and make sure its small enough so the little swines cant get in. But thats not foolproof and its always worth checking every time you get up to the plot

Paula

Janeymiddlewife · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2008, 20:32 »

Quote from: "AndyRVTR"

I think this may help in the future.... Surround the stem with a 10cm (4 inch) mat with a slit cut into it for the stem to prevent cabbage root fly from destroying the roots. Use fine mesh or fleece over the summer to prevent butterflies laying eggs on the underside of leaves as caterpillars can destroy the plants.

That's the weird thing - they were all collared against the dreaded fly, didn't bother with fleece as i planted them at the end of September and they've been fine - could it have been the earwigs or what?
I could fork out for nematodes I suppose, just a bit gutted that yet again I've "failed"
re the fleece - yes I will bury it this time.
i have a small row under coathanger and fleece "cloches" elsewhere so all may not be lost, fingers crossed

Bobbeh · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2008, 23:05 »

This year was my first year so I am a total beginner.

But from what I've read earwigs do eat other insects (and some plant stuff) so chances are they could have been having a nibble on the maggots or eggs.

I'm hoping I can construct something to keep the cabbage root fly off my brassicas next year. Radishes were the only one I grew this year and they made a right old mess off them. Need to spend the winter months designing and constructing "Brassica Knox" to keep the cabbages etc I intend to try growing next year safe.

Salmo · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2008, 23:56 »

Almost certaily cabbage root fly. They do continue to lay their eggs right through September although less so than Spring and Summer.

My guess is that they were in the plugs when you bought them? If you planted them carefully without disturbing the roots you would easily miss them if they were tiny.

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A sad tale of brassicas

Janeymiddlewife

AndyRVTR

Janeymiddlewife