Reduit

[Reduit]

Club root. Does anyone have any idea on how to control this dreaded disease, I know that leaving the plot fallow for 4 years or so could help but I would be interested to know of any shorter term measures.

[Nicos]

We have bad club root too. We have limed the soil to reduce it although our main problem is that we try to be organic so are not happy with the idea of chemicals. This year I read somewhere that growing mustard seed as a catch crop before planting brassicas is supposed to help. We intend to try this on part of the patch. I cant recall reading if it's supposed to be dug in as this surely would make the ground softer and had always understood that the ground for brassicas should be well compacted. Any advice?? Let me know if you try this!

[nick the grief]

Hi Both,

Club root is a pain, There are varieties that claim some resistance but I've not tried them. You used to be able to get a stuff that you mixed with water and dipped the roots in when you transplanted them, I don't know if it's still available.
Alternatively,You could raise your seedling in trays and then pot them up into 5 or 6 " pots as this will give them a good start and hopefully limit the damage. I've never heard of Mustard Nicos, I think thats a Brassica family and would have made the problem worse but I may be wrong.

[Nicos]

The old farmer with the plot next to ours has just been told by another retired farmer that he always plants a 3 inch piece of rhubarb next to each of his brassicas when transplanting them, and this cures clubroot! anyone else heard of this?

[nick the grief]

I've heard of it but I don't know if it works I have to say, still it would be worth a try.

[sewer rat]

Clubroot

For advice on clubroot and it's prevention have a look at HDRA site -

http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/dc4.php 

Doesn't mention rhubarb though ! - think I still prefer the schnapps as the best use of my rhubarb !

Rat

[nick the grief]

I was talking to some of the "old boys" and one of them said that he waters his plants in with Armillatox and that helped. I guess it depend how organic you want to be, although Armillatox is not to bad if you read there blurb, it's just not allowed to adertise this fact as it isn't regestered with the EEC to be used for this purpose ... bit like making an aphicide out of rhubarb leaves.

[Jaxom]

it's just not allowed to adertise this fact as it isn't regestered with the EEC to be used for this purpose ... bit like making an aphicide out of rhubarb leaves.

Nick
I would love to know more about making an aphicide out of rhubarb leaves?
Have you tried it? Does it work and how do you make it?
Jax

[Nicos]

rhubarb!

Oh good....another use for Rhubarb!!!
Did you know ..(so I've heard!) that Barkeepers Friend - the powder used for removing the most tough kitchen stains - is supposed to have rhubarb in it! I wonder what else it does?? I too would be interested in the aphicide recipe.