Mysterious deaths of brassica plants

[Bryan]

For years I have raised brassica plants from seedlings in my greenhouse at home, and not had any problems. For the last couple of years I've tried to do this using the greenhouse on our allotment, but without success. The seeds germinate, but then fail to progress beyond small seedlings. Everything else appears to prosper, including both vegetables and flowers, but cabbages etc remain a problem. Neither greenhouse is very large, that at home is 8x6 ft and that at the allotment is 6x6. The allotment greenhouse has an automatic roof vent, while that at home does not. I suspect that the problem is temperature related and that they get to be too hot at the allotment, but the jury remains out. Meanwhile I've shipped trays of brassicas back from the allotment to home, we'll see what transpires.

[Keith Burdett]

Lack of water? Maybe harder to keep an eye on things at the allotment leading to them drying out too much? My only other thought is a pathogen in the allotment greenhouse but I'm not aware of a brassica specific problem of this type. The bane of my life brassica wise is cabbage root fly, such sneaky little b******s.... 

[Keith Burdett]

 

 

Brassica oleracea, variety acephala, 'Dwarf Curly Kale with wood ashes around stem to deter Cabbage Root Fly, Delia radicum, Wales, UK.

[Allan Bell]

Mysterious deaths of brassica plants.

 

Could be a good title for a novel.

 

Allan

 

[geogphotos]

1 hour ago, Allan Bell said:

Mysterious deaths of brassica plants.

 

Could be a good title for a novel.

 

Allan

 

 

That reminds me of:

 

Trouble with Lichen

[Bryan]

On 18/04/2022 at 10:54, Keith Burdett said:

Lack of water? Maybe harder to keep an eye on things at the allotment leading to them drying out too much? My only other thought is a pathogen in the allotment greenhouse but I'm not aware of a brassica specific problem of this type. The bane of my life brassica wise is cabbage root fly, such sneaky little b******s.... 

I don't think it was a lack of water, as young lettuce and marigolds have been fine. Whatever the cause, those that I tried to rescue have died and I've sown fresh seed at home.

 

Re the root fly, I was blaming that for attacks on our more mature plants in the garden, but it transpired that cut worm was the problem. We're tackling that by planting in toilet roll tubes this year.  Time will tell if that works.

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Bryan

[Bryan]

On 20/04/2022 at 19:46, geogphotos said:

 

That reminds me of:

 

Trouble with Lichen

Not to mention The Day of the Triffids !

[aphperspective]

14 hours ago, Bryan said:

I don't think it was a lack of water, as young lettuce and marigolds have been fine. Whatever the cause, those that I tried to rescue have died and I've sown fresh seed at home.

 

Re the root fly, I was blaming that for attacks on our more mature plants in the garden, but it transpired that cut worm was the problem. We're tackling that by planting in toilet roll tubes this year.  Time will tell if that works.

 

Vegetable gardening is not relaxing Bryan but a constant war of attrition, move and counter move. As a side note I have great success starting parsnips in toilet roll tubes, saves allot of thinning out, more useable plants per pack of seed.

Andy

[geogphotos]

One unexpected benefit of membership of this stock photography forum is that, purely in theoretical terms, I am a much more knowledgable gardener! 😁

[Bryan]

On 28/04/2022 at 14:57, aphperspective said:

As a side note I have great success starting parsnips in toilet roll tubes, saves allot of thinning out, more useable plants per pack of seed.

Andy

Me too Andy, likewise beans and peas.  However I think that you need to plant the parsnips out smartish before the tap root appears at the bottom of the tube, otherwise forking or the root might occur?