Hi Bob,

I thought it was a good idea because the chap's cabbages and broccoli were
solid in the ground, with no supports apart from the tube, and the
stem/stalk of each plant was perfectly straight and quite thick and,
obviously, gave a good support to the head.

I'm relatively new to gardening and am always looking for the correct and/or
the best method with all crops - it's one of the things I find fascinating
about gardening - I always want to learn more.

Regarding Cabbage Root Fly, I wasn't thinking of this pest flying over the
tube to lay its larvae inside but rather of the larvae being laid outside
the tube, in the soil, but then burrowing underground, quite happily, as
normal, until each one bangs its head on the plastic wall! But, then, I
suppose, the larvae will burrow deeper than the 4" of tube buried in the
ground - or do they? I must read up on the Cabbage Root Fly. Normally, I buy
or make the small cabbage root fly mats but I wondered if this method would
make these mats unnecessary.

As Mary suggested, it just might stop slugs but then they may be able to
climb a 4" plastic wall - I really don't know.

Also, I've seen slugs in potatoes, which were underground, so does that mean
that the larvae would have no problem going under the 4" tube buried in the
ground to get at the roots? Of course, the chap on the allotment says that
hasn't had this problems in the three years he's been using this method -
but he may just have been lucky.

Normally, Bob, I do what you do (or very similar) and the main trouble is
wind (not me, personally, but the plants! (lol). The allotments have an
almost permanent south-westeerly breeze which is often far more than just a
breeze. As a result, I stake the most vulnerable plants and buld up soil
around the stem/stalk to give additional support.

Regards,

John


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

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