What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

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?

Jack

What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

Jack1000 wrote:

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?

Jack

Jack,
To my un-trained senses, it sounds like nematodes.

Bill
--
I do not post my address to news groups.

What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

On 24 Jun 2003 01:11:02 GMT, (Jack1000) wrote:

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?

Look in early morning or evening for slugs, they can do a number on
young brassicas. The rain has been torrential, and the cloud cover so
consistent that my pepper plants started wilting to do being so
un-accustomed to direct sunlight. Talk about having to harden off
twice. Maybe after 9 months of miserable weather, warmth will return.


Dan

What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

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
--

What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

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


No I examined the roots and looked through the soil around the plants and I
couldn't find any bugs except ants. Thats why I wrote. I also have my slug
population very low as I look at all my plants every day and I kill any babies
I find either by drowning them in a pail of water with detergent or I spray
them with water and amonia.
I guess I will just have to plant something else there and go to the store if I
want to make coleslaw.


Thanks

Jack

What did in my cabbage and brocolli?
 

Jack1000 wrote:


No I examined the roots and looked through the soil around the plants and
I couldn't find any bugs except ants. Thats why I wrote. I also have my
slug population very low as I look at all my plants every day and I kill
any babies I find either by drowning them in a pail of water with
detergent or I spray them with water and amonia.

You might find that you have good slug success by sprinkling fresh (unused)
coffee grounds liberally around your garden. I first tried this last year
when I was getting slammed by them and they simply never showed back up the
following morning. This year I have seen two of them and that was enough to
convince me to try the coffee grounds again. I haven't seen any since ...
and not for lack of looking!

Bill
--
I do not post my address to news groups.