Let's save and protect cabbage from clubroot using folk remedies

Clubroot is a common disease of cruciferous crops, most often affecting cabbage. It is caused by a microscopic fungus that lacks mycelium. The disease is quite dangerous; if not diagnosed promptly, it can destroy up to 100% of the cabbage crop. To minimize damage, it is essential to promptly and properly treat infected crops.

Clubroot of cabbage – description of the disease, symptoms

Just yesterday you watered your cabbage beds, and today you noticed wilted, drooping leaves on some of the heads? This is cause for concern, as this is the first outward sign of clubroot infestation! If left untreated, the next stage will be severe stunting of the cabbage's growth, accompanied by a change in leaf color: first they will turn light purple, then yellow.

The infection process itself didn't begin today, but much earlier. The fungal spores that cause the disease live in the soil, and initial infection occurs through the roots. The spores spread very quickly, spreading to new heads of cabbage along the topsoil. The small, absorbent roots rot, and large spindle-shaped or spherical growths form on the main stem, which grow even larger over time, producing spores.

Because the roots are disconnected from the soil, cabbage plants are deprived of nutrition and moisture, and the heads first wither and then fall over. If you pull a cabbage plant out of the ground, you'll see unusual swellings on the roots with dark spots and rotting wounds, which have an unpleasant odor. The small, thin roots will be missing. In extreme cases, the galls on the roots can grow so large that they become larger than the head of cabbage.

The effects of clubroot can vary across different types of cabbage: white cabbage varieties become loose and small, while red or cauliflower cabbages may not develop at all. The infection can be introduced into garden beds through seeds and seedlings, as well as through manure from animals fed infected plants. The fungus survives in the soil for up to seven years in the form of cystospores. Under what conditions do the spores actively develop?

• heavy, acidic soil;
• stable air temperature of 20–25 degrees;
• soil and air humidity above 75%;
• lack of useful elements in the soil (chlorine, calcium, potassium and magnesium);
• irregular or excessive watering;
• failure to comply with crop rotation rules.

In neutral soil, clubroot does not develop at temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius, and in alkaline conditions, fungal activity ceases. Spores survive frosty, snowless winters and are not affected by high temperatures.

Proven methods for combating clubroot

Clubroot, commonly known as cabbage cancer, can only be treated in the early stages of its development. Given the persistence of the fungus, it's important to treat not only the planted crops but also the soil. The eradication process requires a comprehensive approach, using both agricultural practices and folk remedies.

Folk remedies

While it's not possible to completely cure cabbage clubroot this season, you can support the plants until harvest and protect future plantings. What to do when you notice the first signs of the disease:

• Pluck off wilted leaves and water the cabbage with an ash infusion. Mix 10 cups of ash per 10 liters of water, let it steep for 48 hours, then pour a liter of the infusion into a bucket of water. Add 500 ml of the mixture to each plant. Water with ash after the soil has been thoroughly moistened.
• Now you need to hill up the bushes as high as possible; this procedure will stimulate the growth of additional roots on the upper part of the stem;
• Finally, you should feed the cabbage with organic matter, which contains microflora that inhibits spore activity. Fertilizers should be applied every 7 days, using phosphorus-potassium mixtures, yeast, mullein, compost, or vermicompost with potassium salt. Compost can also be added between rows to prevent the spread of fungus.
• beds with infected plants can be watered with a lime solution (150 grams of lime per 5 liters of water, the consumption rate is 500 ml per bush);
• After harvesting cabbage, chop up beet or quinoa tops and scatter them over the beds. Add plenty of organic fertilizer and till the soil.

In the late stages of clubroot development, affected bushes are removed and soil treatment begins immediately. Soil microorganisms quickly spread spores, so the entire area where the garden beds were should be treated, not just specific areas. All cruciferous crops can be grown in this area no sooner than a year later.

How to disinfect soil

For organic farmers, the most appropriate method is crop rotation to clear the soil of clubroot fungus. Infested areas are planted with Solanaceae, Liliaceae, and Chenopodiaceae. Save this helpful cheat sheet:

• tomatoes, potatoes and peppers destroy spores in 3 years;
• garlic, onions and beets will cope with clubroot in 2 seasons;
• Planting tomatoes and garlic together will clear the soil within a year.

A plot previously infested with clubroot is divided into several beds, and the plants described above are planted. All weeds should be removed throughout the season. The denser the plantings, the greater the chance of curing the maximum amount of soil, but avoid overcrowding.

Although rare, this procedure may not yield positive results. To test the soil, sow Chinese cabbage in the new season and check the roots several times throughout the growing season. If the roots are clean, you can safely plant cabbage or cauliflower in the same spot the following season.

One of the main goals in combating clubroot is normalizing acidity. A pH of 5.6–6.5 is favorable for the fungus. Dolomite flour, slaked lime, or wood ash are used as acidifiers.

Industrial preparations

Clubroot is highly resistant to most antifungal medications, but gardeners have identified several effective treatments over many years of testing:

• Trichodermin;
• Previcur;
• Gliocladin;
• Topaz;
• Fitosporin-M;
• Alirin B;
• Fundazol.

Be prepared for the fact that chemical and biological preparations will not eradicate the infection or cure infected bushes; they will only slow the development of the fungus and contain its spread.

Prevention of cabbage clubroot

All damaged cabbage plants are dug up (along with any remaining diseased roots) and burned away from the site. Spores will not be destroyed by fire and will be carried away by smoke, so it's best to perform the procedure in calm weather. Avoid stepping in the holes where the cabbage grew. All gardening tools, shoes, and clothing must be disinfected after handling diseased plants.

Throughout the cabbage growing season, remove weeds from the beds, especially cruciferous herbs (colza, rapeseed, shepherd's purse, pennycress, wild radish, and field mustard). Remember to rotate crops.

Before planting, rinse the seedlings to remove soil and carefully examine the roots. If small thickenings are visible, discard them. In the early stages, clubroot galls can be the same color as the roots. After discarding, treat the roots of healthy seedlings with Thiovit, Kumulus, or colloidal sulfur.

Resistant varieties

There are no cabbage varieties that are completely resistant to the clubroot pathogen, but scientists have developed varieties with a relatively high immunity to the disease:

• Kilazol F1;
• Taininskaya 11;
• Losinoostrovskaya 8;
• Kilaton F1;
• Winter Gribovskaya;
• Kilagerb F1;
• Kilagregreg F1;
• Hope;
• Ramkila F1;
• Tequila F1.

The varieties most susceptible to clubroot are Vyuga, Zolotoy Hektar, Slava, Rusinovka, Skorospelaya and Kharkovskaya Zimnyaya.

Pre-sowing preparation of seeds and soil

There are several ways to treat seeds. The simplest is to soak them in hot water (around 50 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes. Let's consider other options:

• six-hour soaking in a 1.5% mustard solution;
• The seeds can be soaked in an ascorbic acid solution for 8-12 hours. Add 0.1 gram of ascorbic acid per liter of water, stir the seeds every hour, then rinse under running water and dry.
• A good method of disinfection is to soak the seeds in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, rinse them and treat them with biostimulants (Energen or Epin);
• Several aloe leaves are chopped, placed in a jar, the neck covered with cheesecloth, and refrigerated for two weeks. The juice is squeezed from the leaves, diluted with water 1:1, and left for a couple of hours. The seeds are placed in the resulting solution, and the jar is refrigerated for two days. Rinsing and drying the seeds is not necessary; they can be sown directly.

It's best to bake the soil mixture for growing seedlings in an oven at 60 degrees Celsius for about an hour. Afterward, water it with a solution of Baikal-1M or Siyanie. The soil in the area can be treated with Bordeaux mixture according to the instructions.

What to add to the hole before planting cabbage

Many gardeners recommend preparing holes for cabbage in advance. A week before planting, sprinkle half a teaspoon of sulfur into the holes, and then place a peeled potato in the hole when planting. You can also add a handful of wood ash, dolomite flour, baking soda, or crushed chalk (just one ingredient).

Keep an eye on your cabbage beds; the sooner you detect the disease, the better your chances of saving the crop. Clubroot should be treated promptly, but even proactive measures don't guarantee complete eradication. Follow proper agricultural practices and pay close attention to preventative measures.

Reviews

Tatiana

I once had a hard time with clubroot on my cabbage; I tried countless treatments, but to no avail. I found a solution: I plant cabbage in the same spot every three years, and only after peppers or tomatoes. I grow the seedlings myself, even treating store-bought seeds with potassium permanganate and adding potato peels to the planting holes. I water the plants with an ash infusion several times a season and fertilize them with mineral fertilizers every two weeks. I periodically loosen the beds and constantly monitor for weeds.

Kirill

I encountered clubroot three years ago. After harvesting the remaining crop, I cultivated the soil, normalized its acidity, and planted beets and garlic in the same spot. A year later, I planted cabbage again, adding a handful of ash to the holes and fertilizing with organic matter, but the clubroot still returned. Later, I realized my mistake—I was watering too much, leaving standing water after watering, while you should pour no more than 2 liters per plant.