Topic: Cabbage collars

[Sparky]

While i was ordering my seed i noticed 'brassica collars'.  I have read that you can use carpet underlay or spare roofing felt but as i have neither i wondered whether i should buy them, or whether anyone has any other ideas of things to use that are more readily available/cheaper

Sparky

[Doris_Pinks]

Sparky I chop up carpet underlay,(cos I am cheap) if you go to any carpet shop they will probably give you an off cut! DP

[Mrs Ava]

Are cabbage root fly's a constant problem or do they only bother the baby seedlings?  And, could you use thickish card?  

[Hugh_Jones]

Yes, they are a constant problem EJ.  Maturing plants are just as much at risk as seedlings - it just takes longer for the effects to show.  If you`d ever had cauliflowers just starting to form their heads suddenly start to wilt, and then flop you`d know why so many people have to use them.  Virtually any material will do (as long as it doesn`t contain toxins), but it does need to be long-lasting, and cardboard might start to disintegrate in a poor summer.

[Mrs Ava]

Thanks Hugh, I shall be looking at things that I can reuse now to make collars.  I don't wanna loose my caulis or sprouts thank you very much!  

[Sparky]

Sparky I chop up carpet underlay,(cos I am cheap) if you go to any carpet shop they will probably give you an off cut! DP

Good idea, hadn't thought of that! ;)

[john_miller]

An alternative approach is to plant through something shiny. The light coming from below the flying adult confuses them and they are not sure which way is up.

[Mrs Ava]

oooooooooooo freebie cd's come to mind.....  :o mind you, I guess the hole is too small.....wonder if I can make it bigger  ???

[Doris_Pinks]

Get Ava and his drill out EJ!
 ;D

[john_miller]

Or literally burn them?

[Hugh_Jones]

Mind you, John, she`d have to make sure that the CDs stayed completely flat. If they developed any slight curvature on a bright sunny day the brassicas might get a bit overheated.

[john_miller]

Bright, sunny day? In the U.K.? A contradiction in terms surely?

Seriously though, Hugh, a fellow grower here tried growing brassicas through black plastic a few years ago. Even in this climate overheating was not a problem but it was so labour intensive that he decided it wasn't worth doing. It did keep the cabbage fly off until it was so warm that their life cycle was interrupted. With global warming perhaps the U.K. will soon only have one generation each year too?

[Hugh_Jones]

Steady on, John.  We had several bright sunny days last summer. And the trouble with global warming is that just as the plant and insect life is starting to adjust to it, it changes its mind again and everything takes two steps backwards.

Anyway, you`ll be please to hear that my cousin says the 3 feet deep snow in Nova Scotia has now melted and she`s no longer marooned.