Country Lore: Stomp Out Cabbage Maggots

(Page 3 of 3)

February/March 2009
By the Mother Earth News editors 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

One little wrinkle here - do not cultivate the crust because you will break up the barrier. If you need to weed, do so by burying the weeds or hand pulling. It seems that every couple of years somebody around here, myself included, forgets this in the rush of spring work and we relearn a lesson on some row we rushed through.

RELATED CONTENT

Effectiveness: Side by side, 200-foot rows with about 130 early cabbages planted prior to the main insect hatch will suffer 50 to 90 percent losses in unmanaged rows and rarely more than 2 or 3 percent loss in the managed row. Frank, this is not much different than when I used chemical drenches in the past. We live in canola country and the maggot flies are everywhere. Loss rates in the other cole crops are essentially zero, except for cauliflower. This system does not work for cauliflower. Most of the time, most of the cauliflower plants will bolt. It does not work on sandy soils because they will not compress well.

We are a small market garden. At one time we were up to five acres, but now are in semi-retirement. I am currently growing only about half that acreage and selling exclusively at the Drayton Valley farmers market, not too far from us. You would not believe the lineups.

Arthur Dear
Strawberry Creek Gardens
Thorsby, Alberta
Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Alan Sowter 4/30/2009 2:22:26 PM

    We have trouble with cabbage root fly (delia brassicae) in Britain. Here you can buy brassica collers or make them yourself. I cut 6 inch squares of rubber backed carpet and punch a 1/2 inch hole in the centre. Then cut a slit from one edge to the centre hole. Plant your cabbage plant firmly and place the collar round the stem with the rubber backing upmost. The root fly will not lay eggs on the hard rubber backing. The carpet can be removed at the end of the season and reused.

    Hope this is of interest.

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.