[vron]

Hi, its me again with a problem thats getting worse.   

A few years ago we discovered that we had club root.   

So we are extra careful with hygiene and rotation and clearing debris away.

We run on a 4 year crop rotation.  But this year things have really declined.

We grow strong disease free plants at home, then transplant them to the lottie.

We have been growing Clapton cauliflowers for the last 2 seasons with no problems.

Our curly kale has been fine, with only the odd cabbage with club root.

But this year has been a disaster.   

The Clapton caulies collapsed and the roots were grossly distorted.
We only salvaged about half a dozen out of 24 planted.

Yet the Triomphant Caulies the next row to the Clapton, were fine with good heads and roots.

The Curly Kale has also succumbed, again plants collapsing with grossly distorted roots.

Our Filderkraut cabbages were also infected but have held on ok, with some massive heads.

The same applies to our other brassicas, distorted roots and the plants collapsing.

We always follow the same regime and are at a loss to know how to try to control this disease.

We have bagged up all infected material, that has gone to the council garden waste for disposal by them. 

It has been bad enough that we were hit both by the 'Allium Leaf Miner' and the 'Leek Moth' this year.
With onions and leeks affected by both. 
(we are greedy, if it wasn't for bad luck we would have no luck at all)   

Any info or advice most welcome, as we are at a loss at the moment.

PS.  Have emptied the tubs with our Christmas potatoes in, having planted them out at the end of July.
And guess what.  Sods law, there were very very few new potatoes (Charlottes 3 to a tub) 

Merry Christmas to you all and a happy New Year.

[mumofstig]

Have you used lime on your soil?

[DD.]

Club root can remain dormant in soil for up to 20 years, so a 4 year rotation is not really going to help.

My plot has club root - what size root ball do the plants have when you put them out? I find with a good root ball they can grow through it.

Also overwinter and early plantings are less susceptible as club root is less active in cold weather.

[bravemurphy]

I got it on the plot too but when I dib the hole for the plant I dust the hole and around the hole with lime, lots of it.

It does not stop it but mine seem to get away with it.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Is club root controllable by a soil sterilant? I'm thinking about smaller scale growing obviously such as in a raised bed

[DD.]

Per the RHS:

Chemical control.

There are no chemicals available to gardeners to treat club root.

[BabbyAnn]

Are you sure its club root?  I'm not saying it isn't as it sounds like it but a club resistant variety like Clapton should have been fine, and I believe some kale are naturally resistant too.  Maybe cabbage root fly or other pest as it sounds like you've had a bit of an invasion on other crops so conditions might have just been right for them?  Definitely look at soil pH and maybe add a dash of lime to planting holes when growing brassicas.

Sorry to read about the allium leaf miner and leek moth - last year I had the same problems so didn't bother this year in the hope that any resident adults would go elsewhere or die.  Next year I plan on growing a lot of stuff under fine mesh and hope for a better crop.

With regards to Christmas potatoes - to be honest, I personally think they are a waste of money and would rather save some of my earlier cropped spuds instead (leaving them in the ground and digging up later ... providing you take precautions and don't have slug or wireworm problems)   For an acceptable yield, potatoes need warmth and good light, and it stands to reason that after the summer solstice, light levels are on the decline and temperatures can go either way in autumn so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise, more so if you live further north.

Better luck next year 

[DD.]

Club root resistant does not equal club root proof, in the same way that carrot fly resistant does not mean carrot fly proof.

[moose]

Is club root controllable by a soil sterilant?

I have read that caliente mustard acts as a soil sterilant and has shown some signs of suppressing onion white rot.
If that is correct it may be worth a trial on a plot with club root.

[mumofstig]

Claient won't work 

Caliente Mustard Green Manure is a Brassica so if problems are present with Club-root, Caliente Mustard will succumb to the disease......).

http://www.greenmanure.co.uk/seeds/caliente-mustard-119-green-manure-seeds/

[moose]

Duh! Senior moment.

[wrinkly1]

  :)i can,t understand how you have lost clapton cauli/s . all our allotments are crippled with club root. and yet without fail we raise clapton ..kilaton and kilaxy.year after year. if you dig a1 foot square hole. scatter a couple of handfuls of lime in bottom and sides.  backfill with compost and plant i/ve had success with this.  good luck p.s sow seed in individual big pots till very strong.    cheers wrinkly1

[vron]

Thank you for all your replies and advice.

The young plants are good and strong with well formed roots

We do add plenty of lime, to the beds where the brassicas are going every year.
We also put lime into the planting holes, along with humax and fish blood and bone.

We also put lime around the base of the plants once planted out, by making a dish shape around the plants.
Being careful not to let the line touch the plants itself.

In fact if anything, the other half thinks maybe I using to much, of course I don't agree

The roots were very swollen and gnarled, like big sausages, so pretty certain it is clubroot.

Still, next year is just around the corner, time to think positive again.

After all allotments and growing veg is a very steep learning curve.

 Which takes lots of patience of which I have loads. I refuse to be beaten    

[bravemurphy]

The only other thing I can think of is gall weevil.

[DD.]

We also put lime into the planting holes, along with humax and fish blood and bone.

You should not apply fertiliser and lime at the same time, as they can react together. I'm not saying this is the cause of the problem, which I'm sure is club root, but something to bear in mind.