Out of 3 30' rows of cole crops 2 cauliflower plant have suddenly wilted
very badly. I can't see any insect damage & it has rained over an inch in
the last week. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Steve

A couple of possibilities. Black rot
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...ucifers_BR.htm
Club root
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...s_Clubroot.htm

Thank farmerdill, your post got me worried about fungal disease. So I pulled
the wilted plants. There was no sign of black rot or club root. The under
ground portion of the stems appeared to be peeled or eaten away to the woody
core. Cut worms, maybe?
Steve
wrote in message
oups.com...
A couple of possibilities. Black rot
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...ucifers_BR.htm
Club root
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...s_Clubroot.htm

STEPHEN PEEK wrote:
Thank farmerdill, your post got me worried about fungal disease. So I pulled
the wilted plants. There was no sign of black rot or club root. The under
ground portion of the stems appeared to be peeled or eaten away to the woody
core. Cut worms, maybe?
Steve
.......................................

If I saw sudden wilt like that in my garden, I wouldn't have any doubt
what it was. In my garden, it would be root maggots. You obviously live
in a totally warmer climate than here since we wouldn't even dare to
plant out cauliflower plants yet. Maybe you don't have root maggots
where you are.
If you pull another affected plant, look closely at the roots. Look for
tunnels. Look for the maggots too but they may be gone by now (hiding in
the soil ready to hatch out into the next generation).

Steve

"Steve" wrote:
Out of 3 30' rows of cole crops 2 cauliflower plant have suddenly
wilted very badly. I can't see any insect damage & it has rained
over an inch in the last week. Any ideas?

A lack of calcium? I've read that cauliflower requires a heavy
amount of lime (which I interpret to be calcium). I've had a
hard time getting cauliflower to grow myself. I keep thinking
the heads are supposed to get bigger and by the time I unroped
the leaves, the first head wilted. The same plant has two stems
and I ended up with one small head of cauliflower from the second
stem. Only seem to get one cauliflower a year, much like a pine-
apple plant gives one pineapple a year.

Just curious, do you lime your soil in any way to give the plant
calcium?

Jim Carlock
Florida West Coast
--
Raleigh Swimming Pool Builder http://www.aquaticcreationsnc.com/

I agree with Steve, Cabbage root maggots would be my prime suspect
based on your description. Difficult to control. There are several
beneficial organisms on the market that are rated as effective
biological controls Gnat Not, No Flea, and Steinernema carpocapsae.
Difficult to find in small quantities. Chloropyrifos(Lorsban, Nufos)
and Diazinon are effective, but not sold to the general public. You
need an applicators permit to buy them and again, not sold in small
quantities.

Jim. Cauliflower does best at a soil pH of 6 -7 . Limestone or hydrated
lime is used to raise the pH of an acid soil. A soil test ( see your ag
extension agent) every few years is highly recommended. Most brassicas
are finicky in acid soils as are beets and lima beans.