All root and no cabbage ????

[Minty]

Whats caused this to my spring cabbage ?????????
Most are OK but about 6 out of 25 are all root and no cabbage.

A confused Minty

[Cutecumber]

Can you give some more details?

How old are they, what type are they, when did you sow, when did you plant and where have they been growing...

[Minty]

Can you give some more details?

How old are they, what type are they, when did you sow, when did you plant and where have they been growing...

Hi, they are Duncan spring cabbages, planted oct/nov last year as small plants from local GC in to the allotment.
Like i say, most are doing really well only about 6 that are stunted with purple leaves and long straight single root.
Regards Minty

[jacob marley]

It looks to me like a form of club root i could well be wrong but there are no fibrous roots which they need to take up moisture .
Other than that i ain't got a clue jacob

[Snadger]

It deffo aint clubroot! I know because i've battled against it for the last couple of years!

Because only some of the plants are affected I would hazzard a guess that they were originally attacked by cabbage root fly which didn't kill them but stunted their growth. With the winter rain and winds making them move around the roots haven't had a chance to re-establish and a root rot has set in.

Just pull them out and live with it Minty, the larvae that originally did the damage will probably have grown on and flown away. Just make sure you put collars around the brassicas in the future!

[Minty]

It deffo aint clubroot! I know because i've battled against it for the last couple of years!

Because only some of the plants are affected I would hazzard a guess that they were originally attacked by cabbage root fly which didn't kill them but stunted their growth. With the winter rain and winds making them move around the roots haven't had a chance to re-establish and a root rot has set in.

Just pull them out and live with it Minty, the larvae that originally did the damage will probably have grown on and flown away. Just make sure you put collars around the brassicas in the future!

Cheers Snadger, one question though, how would i tell if it WAS cabbage root fly.
OH and by the way the leaves were not only stunted but purple in colour.
Thanks Minty

[Snadger]

Cheers Snadger, one question though, how would i tell if it WAS cabbage root fly.
OH and by the way the leaves were not only stunted but purple in colour.
Thanks Minty

If the foliage wilts in warm weather it's usually a sign that because of osmosis the plant is loosing more moisture than it can take up from the roots.
When you first notice this and dig the plant up you will find tiny white maggots feeding on the stem and roots. Sometimes if you earth up the plant to the bottom of the leaves it will put out new roots and recover a bit. At this time of year tho this is not likely to happen!
I imagine the discolouration of the leaves is because photosynthesis can't occur if the plant has no roots and the green pigment chlorophil will be lacking. Cabbage root fly affected plants always seem to take on a reddish discolouration.
I could be wrong Minty but I'm calling it as I see it!