Topic: cabbages fallen over - help me please!

[marcusexeter]

Hello

my cabbages are about 10 inches high and one row has fallen over cause of the weight I guess and they are growing in an arch? I've read to put a small stake in until they straighten and the stem firms up  - is this right?

also - they look like open plants  - no hearts at the moment is this o.k. too?

any advice and your time would be appreciated, thanks x

[kt.]

Not all cabbages form a heart.  Summer ones that do could still be a bit early depending on when you planted. 

Try and lift a cabbage gently without pulling it to see if it comes away from the root stem with no effort.  If it does then check the root for small white grubs.  If this is the case they will need to be picked and frozen or eaten, as small as they are.  Sounds like Cabbage root fly but is difficult to tell without photos:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/organic/organic_21.php

You can help prevent future brassicas going the same way by wither planting a small piece of rhubarb in the planting hole.  And or watering the area around the plants with diluted Jeyes fluid

[chris loves veg]

Not all cabbages form a heart.  Summer ones that do could still be a bit early depending on when you planted. 

Try and lift a cabbage gently without pulling it to see if it comes away from the root stem with no effort.  If it does then check the root for small white grubs.  If this is the case they will need to be picked and frozen or eaten, as small as they are.  Sounds like Cabbage root fly but is difficult to tell without photos:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/organic/organic_21.php

You can help prevent future brassicas going the same way by wither planting a small piece of rhubarb in the planting hole.  And or watering the area around the plants with diluted Jeyes fluid

Hi, Sorry to hear that but i have same problem. Please can you tell me if it will go along the row or just the odd plant or two?

[Alimo]

Little bu&&ers have attacked my psb too!!  Taken out all of mine planted - luckily
I have backups not yet given away.

Obviously the time of year for them.

Thanks for the tip on rhubarb  ;D  I'll be planting more - ever optimistic that I'll get a lovely crop.

Alison

[kt.]

Hi, Sorry to hear that but i have same problem. Please can you tell me if it will go along the row or just the odd plant or two?

They certainly will.  If you are concerned,  do the Jeyes fluid thing; and lay some plant collars around the base.  Roof felt with a slit to the centre so it goes around the stem on the ground, rough side up.  This apparently causes the eggs to be laid on the felt rather than the plant where they will die instead of hatching.

[earlypea]

It's not necessarily cabbage root fly though.  Young brassicas can fall down in the wind.  Happened to mine in the first year of growing, obviously not planting firmly enough and saw it again last year on a neighbouring plot.  They picked themselves up again in my case and my neighbour firmed theirs up and both went on to crop.