Wilting Cauli

[moggssue]

Hi all, hope someone here can shed some light for me - I have a block of caulis in my veg patch, all receiving the same treatment, water, food. Most of them are growing away great, but the two in the front have drooped, they look as they would if they hadnt been watered for a month but that can't be the problem - everything else in the plot is fine and the ground around those two is just as damp as everywhere else. There doesnt seem any leaf discolouring or pests around - anyone got any ideas? Should I pull them up in case they have something nasty?

[Cutecumber]

The two things that have caused these symptoms in my cabbages and cauliflowers are:

cabbage rootfly, and
clubroot.

In both cases, the plants slowed in their growth and wilted. The cause was only obvious when I pulled them out.

It is possible, however, that they are dehydrated - if they are on the edge they may get more sun and less water.

[moggssue]

They're pretty much in the centre of the bed. In front of them are very baby parsnips, behind are very healthy looking calabrese, so I dont think its lack of water but I'll give them a good drink when I get home. failing that, do you think I should pull them up in case its clubroot before it spreads to the rest of the plants, which seem fine, and much bigger? Its a fresh bed, which was grass until March.

[PAULW]

Leather jackets, dig up one of the affected plants and check the roots if these have been chewed it is quite possible you have leather jackets which live in grass ie meadows lawn, the other thing to check for is cutworm the plant will look like it has been ringbarked at ground level.

[Cutecumber]

Paul's got a good idea, there - former grassland does present problems such as leatherjackets etc.

It looks like you'll have to pull up a plant and see what's going on.

By the way, clubroot is present in the soil - pulling up an affected plant won't rid you of it, sadly.

[moggssue]

Thanks both - I'll dig up the worst of the two plants tonight and see what's revealed.

[rustylady]

I really think something has got at the roots. If the roots have been eaten or have rotted then you may as well pull the plant up.

[jondanie]

Moggssue,
Highly unlikely to be leatherjackets, as there more a grassland problem from August onwards, when you can see the adult Daddy-Long-Legs flying around.
A previous thread here a few weeks ago had a similar problem, which turned out to be cabbage root fly.

I would pull up the affected plants and take a good look at the roots. If most of the root system is gone and blackened and you can see some small whitish maggots, then it's cabbage root fly.

If you can take a pic and upload it, it would be a great help too

[Mrs Dobby]

Yep, sounds like cabbage root fly, we've lost a couple of turnips and about 5 cabbages so far, with a possible 2 more on their way!

Guess I'm gonna have to get Mr D to get some root guards to protect them from laying their eggs in the root areas!

[moggssue]

Hi guys - here's a picture of the cauli I dug up. There were no signs of any grubs around the roots, just as you see it. There were hundreds of fluffy white aphids hiding right in the centre of the plant, but nothing around the roots. So far, one other is affected in the same way, the rest are all growing healthily. Any suggestions? If in doubt, I guess dig up the other affected one and hope for the best with the rest?

[moggssue]

Oh, sorry! What did I do wrong? I can't get the photo to upload! Duhhh... first cure the techno problem then the veggie problem!! .... Hang on ...

[Cutecumber]

Well I think "hundreds of fluffy white aphids" are your problem! They could be mealy cabbage aphid - tricky to get to when they are in the centre.

[moggssue]

I've looked up mealy cabbage aphids on the net and yes, thats exactly what they look like! I didnt notice them when the plant was in the ground, had to tear open the inner leaves. They dont seem to have eaten anything, I guess they suck the sap? Is there a 'cure', does the old fairy liquid squirt work on them or will they just destroy the cabbage, being so far inside? I'll be upset if I lose the whole crop to the little b*****s!

[Cutecumber]

You're right - they basically suck the plant. Get some kind of soap solution on them as quick as you can. A good squirt of high-powered water will help, too. Keep checking and repeat as often as you need.

It's a lot better than rootfly or clubroot, though, honestly.

[moggssue]

Thanks cutecumber - I gave them all a good soaping last night! really difficult to get to the inner leaves though, so have my fingers crossed.