Phoma, or stem canker, is a fungal disease (Latin name Leptosphaeria maculans )which can cause significant crop losses in winter broccoli and other brassicas in epidemic years.
fungus-attacks-broccoli
Initial infections are caused by fungal spores which infect the young
leaves of the recently emerged crop to form phoma leaf lesions.
The cabbage plants grown from seed sown a month ago are large enough to plant out into their growing site. They have 2 cotyledons (seed leaves) and 2-3 true leaves.
brassica-seed-rows
cabbage-plants
Before starting, the plant-bed is watered to make the soil crumbs stick together and adhere to the plant roots. The strongest plants in the bed are selected, and dug up with a trowel. The summer cabbage are replanted in rows 45cm apart, and 30 cm between plants within the row. Summer cabbage can be closer together because they are cut with smaller heads.
cabbage-row
There are now three different stages of plants in the cabbage patch.
They are all covered with mesh to protect them from aphids and cabbage white butterflies.
brassica-bed
brassicas under mesh
enviromesh-over-brassica
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