Cabbage root maggot
Robert J Hackett (hackett@selway.umt.edu)
Mon, 19 Jun 1995 18:58:53 -0600 (MDT)
My name is Josh Slotnick. I am an organic farmer in Missoula, Montana.
To prevent Cabbage Root Maggot on our early brassicas (and to get a jump
on the season) We depend heavily on floating row covers. However,
temps are too high to use row covers without damaging our midsummer
plantings. CRM hits these uncovered plants pretty hard. This year we are
trying an application of a barrier at the base of the plant. This
barrier, made of shredded paper and water, hardens like a paper mache,
and ideally will be impervious to newly hatched maggots. Have any
growers or researchers out there had any experience with barrieres at the
base of the plant to deter CRM? If you have, please tell me what you
found out. This season one of our interns from Cornell University designed
an experiment comparing the paper mache barriers to the use of a row
cover in midsummer, application of an organic mulch, and nothing at all.
We'll have something to talk about in a few weeks. PLease send on any
commentary. Thanks,
J.