Club Root, a devastating disease which attacks brassicas, can be overcome by growing resistant varieties.

Clubroot attacks the roots of brassicas. Deformed, swollen roots lead to stunted, poorly developed plants.

When growing brassicas, such as cabbages or sprouts, vegetable gardeners have developed cultural practices which minimise the chances of clubroot:

• long rotations
• liming - to raise the pH
• free draining soil
• removing weeds, particularly Willow Herb, shepherds purse and fat hen, which harbour the fungus
• autumn sowing when the soil is cooler reduces the risk of attack
• growing own plants from seed. Bringing in bare-rooted plants from a friend’s garden is a classic way to introduce clubroot
• buy in plants grown in peat modules - the peat will be club-root free
• dip transplants in a fungicide like flowers of sulphur
• plants with a strong root system may survive & grow away from a clubroot attack

Clubroot resistant varieties may be the answer to growing brassicas in the vegetable garden.

Two clubroot resistant varieties are:

• Cabbage Kilaton F1 Hybrid

• Cauliflower Clapton F1 Hybrid

Click here for more information about clubroot in the garden.

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Growing clubroot resistant varieties is a good example of biological control in the vegetable garden .