Grow Your Own Magazine

Just been reading up on clubroot from the internet as it's my first time growing brassica (chinese cabbage and cabbage already in veg plot) and planning to grow cauli, brussel sprouts etc.

My soil has always been stubbornly alkaline (which helps here), my raised veg bed is filled with mostly (80%???) home made compost (thrown in with some bornfire ash, some clay, some sand). My veg bed (3 ft by 13 ft) is certainly not waterlogged so should I be worried at all?

At worst case scenario, even if you get clubroot, surely it's not a problem for non-brassica? I'm more of a lettuce-tomato-courgette-runner bean grower. I hope any discussions on this thread will prove useful for me as well as other members new to brassica (cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohl rabi, swedes and turnips).

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Food for Free

I learned to live with clubroot on my last plot (luckily my new plot doesn't seem to be affected).
As you say, it only affects brassicas and certain brassicas are more prone to it than others. There are a few clubroot resistant varieties of cabbage, caulis and I believe there will soon be a clubroot resistant brussel sprout unveiled! Kales, because of there tight packed cellular system have a bit of natural resistance to it and I found that autumn sown brassicas were less affected, suggesting to me that the clubroot fungus doesn't thrive in cold weather? Keeping brassicas off the area for twelve years, as recommended, isn't really a viable option and I would prefer to tackle it head on and treat it as a challenge! Starting plants in pots gives the roots a head start and a chance to establish before getting attacked!
Good husbandry will stop you from getting it if the plot is clear of it, crop rotation, not allowing weeds to grow as some weeds can be host plants,growing your own brassicas from seed helps, washing and sterilising pots etc!

I have grown Kilaxy this year which is a clubroot resistant cabbage variety, just in case I had clubroot infected soil, which I now believe I haven't, but mainly because it is a good hearty cabbage which tastes nice and stands well!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

My soil is about the same ratio of yours, but bagged compost instead. I haven't had a problem at all this year, although i think not stressing the plants out by giving them plenty of space to grow in has helped. I grow using a 4 year rotation which would help greatly if i did get any probs.

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Vegmonkey and the Mrs. - vegetable gardening in a small space in Cheltenham at www.vegmonkey.co.uk

Many years ago on a gardening programme on telly, I can remember the presenter (may have been Geoff Hamilton) saying that clubroot is endemic in peat, so if you start your brassica seedlings in a peat based, multipurpose compost you stand a good chance of acquiring clubroot, and infecting your 'plot'.

Since seeing this we have always started our brassicas of in a soil-based compost, and have not been troubled.

valmarg

I have just realised that my newly aquired allotment has got clubroot infection, but it has not stopped me growing some fantastic cabbages, caulies and my sprouts are looking very impressive!

I lost three or four caulies which is when I realised I had club root. But I will continue to grow Brassicas as part of my normal rotation, just bring them on a bit more before I plant them out and lime well a month or so before they go in.

Don't worry about things that may or may not happen, and may or may not hinder your brassicas. Just enjoy the challenge.

Darren