Recognize, prevent & fight clubroot

We will show you how to recognize the symptoms of clubhead and how to successfully prevent and control them.

Symptoms of the carboniferous hernia

In addition to insects, our beloved cabbage is unfortunately also attacked by a fungal disease that is very difficult to control. The clubhead (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a dreaded disease in all plants of the cabbage family (Brassicacea). An infected cabbage plant can be recognized by the fact that the plant grows poorly at first and later gets withered leaves, which also turn yellow. If your cabbage sags on warm days and the leaves droop, you should dig up one of the sick plants. The fungal pathogen is infected when the roots are thickened in a bulbous, cylindrical shape. To avoid confusion with the cabbage weevil infestation, we recommend cutting a thickened root. If the root is white and not hollow, then it is most likely the cabbage hernia.

Pathogen

The clubhead (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a dreaded crop rotation disease in agriculture. The slime mold feels particularly at home in warm and wet soil. If the pH value is also acidic, the cabbage hernia has perfect living conditions. The disease is also dangerous because of its very hard-wearing spores. As a rule, the spores can survive in the ground for many years. So the disease can unfortunately break out again after a long break in growing cabbage. The unpleasant pest nests in the roots of the cabbage plants and releases hormones that lead to the typical thickening of the roots. These tissue overgrowths are used as a source of food by the carbonic hernia. Because of the severe damage to the roots, the plant cannot take out enough water and nutrients. The disease spreads in many ways and is difficult to monitor because the slime mold cannot be seen with the naked eye. It even has spores with so-called flagella. With this thread-like appendage, the spore can move on its own.

Carboniferous Hernia: Preventive Measures

So that the clubhead disease does not occur in the first place, you should take a closer look at its habitat. So the earth! If you have a choice between sandy and heavy loamy soil for cabbage cultivation, then go for the light sandy soil. The soil dries faster and offers poor living conditions for the clubwort. However, the low nutrient content of sandy soils should be taken into account. So don't forget about fertilizing, as cabbage is one of the heavy eaters. The second important aspect is pH. Unfortunately, this cannot be seen with the naked eye, but it can be determined with a pH test. If the pH you have measured is below 6, then you should definitely think about liming the soil. Not only does the coal hernia have almost no chance, but the liming has many other positive effects on the soil. This also includes, for example, better nutrient availability.

In addition to the living conditions of the fungus, the crop rotation is a central point that must be taken into account. Ideally, a cabbage patch should only be planted with cruciferous vegetables after 3 to 5 years. But we also know that this is mostly just wishful thinking. Most vegetable gardens simply do not have enough space to achieve this crop rotation. There are, however, aids to help the permanent pores of the cabbage hernia in the soil break down more quickly. In addition to green manuring, adding humus can also vitalize the soil. As a result, the natural microorganisms become more active and break down the spores of the coal hernia more quickly. In any case, infested cabbage plants and harvest residues belong in the residual waste and must not be placed on the compost. There the permanent spores survive with a little bad luck for up to 10 years.

Fighting the coal hernia

It is not possible to directly combat clubroot with pesticides in the private sector. And that's just as well! Remedies against the coal hernia are extremely harmful to aquatic organisms and it is not for nothing that there is no approval in Germany for these active ingredients. A very complex form of control is steaming the soil. The fungus is killed by the high temperatures. However, this form of plant protection is very energy-intensive and, in addition, can hardly be implemented for us hobby gardeners. That is why it is all the more important to observe the preventive measures.

Also the Cabbage fly often causes problems for cabbage plants. This article will teach you how to identify and control the pesky pest.