In article ,
Jack1000 wrote:
I noticed over the last few days some of the leaves on my broccoli and cabbage
started to turn yellow and leathery. I thought I had the pests under control as
I go looking for them every day. All I could notice was more than the usual
amount of small ants. I wouldn't think ants are the culprits but they were seen
in the immediate area. I pulled the plants that were dying and searched the
dirt to no avail. The damage was done below the surface of the soil. It looked
like the outer layer of the below ground part of the stem was missing maybe
eaten off, or could it be that the damage was caused by the vast amount of rain
we have had in Brooklyn, NY?
Anybody else have this kind of problem?

Sounds like cabbage root maggots. Any sign of smallish pale caterpillar-like
organisms in what's left of the roots?

If correct, you may need to be really careful over the next few years: once
established, these pests can plague you for a long time.

HTH--

-frank
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