Stuff to pour in a planting hole to deter cabbage root fly maggots

[gojiberry]

No one around here has spring cabbage planted yet. My plants are only a couple of inches high so will be a few weeks yet before they go out.
I have tried fleece before and found the plants were very pale so don't use it long term, will have to see about net but at a 20% light reduction I can't see the plants doing great long term.
Collars do work but never get around to making them and putting on. Bought ones are expensive.
Have had good success with a coke bottle collar about 3" high also protects from slugs to a certain extent.
This year I haven't used anything, if a plant shows signs of fly then I take out the plant with surrounding soil put soil and plant into a bucket of insecticide (Jeys fluid will do) wash of all the maggots and replant the cabbage which will grow new roots. 90% of my red cabbages had fly but I have used this method and got a good crop. Have been giving red cabbage away to everyone asI had far to much.

Ian

[womble]

This year I haven't used anything, if a plant shows signs of fly then I take out the plant with surrounding soil put soil and plant into a bucket of insecticide (Jeys fluid will do) wash of all the maggots and replant the cabbage which will grow new roots. 90% of my red cabbages had fly but I have used this method and got a good crop. Have been giving red cabbage away to everyone asI had far to much.

Ian

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way..... but isn't it a whole lot of easier to shove a bit of cardboard round each one when planting?

[Alison]

Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way..... but isn't it a whole lot of easier to shove a bit of cardboard round each one when planting?

Sounds hard work to me too and I'd not be keen on dipping in ***** all the time either. Will stick with my enviromesh which doubles up as bird / butterfly protection and doesn't effect the growth in a negative way but does give them a tad extra warmth at the start / end of the season.