Typically I recommend covering cole crops with floating row cover to keep pests away, but in the case of cabbage root flies, covering them too early may actually trap newly emerged adult flies underneath the row cover, so instead I turn to making cabbage collars to protect my plants. I put a collar around each plant by late April because the first generation of adult flies typically starts to emerge in early May through June here in my Pennsylvania garden. Making Cabbage Collars What You’ll Need: If you are worried about damaging the seedling, you can cut a line from the outer edge to the center hole and wrap the brassica collar around the seedling that way. You will then have to staple the cut edges together for the collar to be effective. Just be sure that the collar opening can be enlarged as the plant grows.

Adult cabbage root flies look a lot like bristly houseflies only slightly smaller. They’re about 1 centimeter long with bristly hairs all over their gray bodies. This European species is now found across much of North American and up into southern Canada. Cabbage root flies overwinter in the soil as pupae. When spring arrives, they pupate into adults, feed on flower nectar, and go onto breed and lay eggs over the course of the next five to six weeks. Varieties with orange, purple or green heads generally keep their colour when cooked, although boiling can fade purple heads. Indoor-raised plants must be hardened off so they are acclimatised to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Of course, plant collars will add a little extra effort to your gardening. However, it is worthwhile to protect your plants from devastating pest damage.Fabric roll tube– after a roll of fabric is used up, the leftover cardboard cylinder will give you enough material for many plant collars. You might be able to find this item from an upholstery shop, a fabric supply store, or a craft store (such as JoAnn’s, Michael’s, etc.) Winter varieties – sow indoors or outdoors from late spring to early summer. These are slow growing, taking six months or more to mature, forming large heads. They need wide spacing and can take up quite a lot of room over a long period. Most modern varieties are very hardy and can be harvested through to spring. As with any vegetable crop, companion planting with beneficial plants can help to reduce the threat from pests. cardboard, enough to create a 6- to 8-inch circle to go around each plant or recycled rounds of cardboard from frozen pizzas There are lots of cauliflower varieties to choose from, grouped according to harvesting time. There are faster-growing varieties for summer and autumn crops, and slower-growing varieties for harvesting in late winter and spring. If you buy several different types, you can have cauliflowers practically all year round.

Durable – they will last a long time and can be reused (some plastic won’t hold up well in the sun, though). A plant collar can help to protect your plants against common pests, including cutworms and cabbage root maggots. Plant collars are often called brassica collars, broccoli collars, or cabbage collars, but they can also help to protect tomatoes and other plants as well. There is more than one way to make a plant collar. You can use a variety of materials as the basis for a plant collar, including: The final step in making cabbage collars is to bend the small flaps created in Step 3 upwards. Step 5 Autumn varieties – sow indoors or outdoors in mid- to late spring. They are slightly slower growing than summer types and bred to withstand higher summer temperatures, although light shade in the middle of the day is beneficial. They grow best in cool autumn weather and should be harvested before the first frosts.

Tips For Using Cabbage Collars

The height is 4 inches, so we would need to cut a rectangular piece of cardboard that is 4 inches by 6.28 inches. Then, we would curl the cardboard into a tube and join the ends with staples to make our collar. Install the collar around the plant by slipping the cut line around the plant’s stem. Once in place, overlap the cut line slightly until the small flaps are positioned loosely around the plant stem. There should be enough space for the stem to expand, but not enough for the flies to gain access to the soil around the base of the plant. Step 6

One of the biggest challenges when growing brassicas is dealing with pests. Common pests that affect brassicas include pigeons, caterpillars, aphids and flea beetle. While pesticides can be effective, they can also harm beneficial insects and pollinators. Instead, try these organic methods to protect your brassicas instead: Discoloured heads – protect the developing curds from sun and frost, which can turn them yellow or brown, by folding the leaves over the head and tying in place with string if necessary. Stop cabbage root flies laying eggs by placing collars over the base of your young plants at planting time. This barrier method often proves more effective than chemicals and is ideal for organic growers reluctant to use chemical products on their harvests.Once in place, staple the overlapped cut line of the circle closed in two or three places. Tips For Using Cabbage Collars