"John Vanini" wrote ((Snip))
I would welcome comments and suggestions (all polite, of course!) as I
intend to do this with my cabbages this winter and, if successful, next
spring.
He digs a hole deep enough for the cabbage and stirs in a small handful of
lime - the young cabbage plant is then planted as normal.
He cuts a length of 8" from a standard rainwater down-pipe (about 2 1/2""
dia).
This he gently threads over the cabbage, pushing the pipe about half-way
into the soil.
Finally he pours into the tube another small handful of lime and tops the
whole thing up with water.
His cabbages are always a good size but are as steady as a rock in the
ground, with a thick stem/stalk and he claims that that is the reason for
the quality of his cabbages -they don't rock in the wind. He also waters
via the pipe which he says ensures that the water goes where it's needed.
He uses the same method for his sprouts, cauliflowers, and sprouting
broccoli.

Would this method do away with the need for cabbage collars - because of
the depth of the pipe in the ground acting as a barrier to the cabbage
root fly larvae?

Interesting method which obviously works, myself I simply lime all our
brassica very bed well each year, two 25Kg bags per annum, (it would have
been manured well the year before for the spuds) and we don't have any
problems with the growing of cabbages etc.
Regarding Cabbage Root Fly, the usual barrier is one around the stem right
on top of the soil, I don';t think this fly is like the carrot one that
won't rise up very high.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK