Problems With Growing Chinese Cabbage

Diseases

• There are a number of diseases that can potentially threaten a cabbage plant and its harvest. These diseases include clubroot, cabbage yellows, black rot, downy mildew and bacterial soft rot. Most of the diseases are spread by fungal or bacterial disease agents. Control methods depend on the exact disease that is attacking your cabbage, but in general, use natural and biological control methods first and only consider chemical fungicides as a last resort, due to the possible risks of using a fungicide on food you plan to eat.

Insects

• Cabbage can frequently be bothered by a number of insect pests such as the imported cabbageworm, the cabbage lopper, diamondback moth, flea beetle, cabbage maggot and the onion thrip. The most destructive of these is usually the caterpillars and worms due to their tendency to bore feeding holes through the plant and render the cabbage inedible. The use of chemical insecticides should be avoided if possible but can be considered as a last resort when natural control measures do not effectively control the cabbage plants.

Weeds

• Invasive weeds are a major problem for cabbage growers due to their ability to sap moisture, nutrients, sunlight and growing space away from healthy cabbage plants, thereby diminishing yields and threatening the health of your cabbage plants. Annual weeds are typically not as much of a problem as are cold season weeds, which should be controlled prior to planting with a preventive, systemic herbicide. If weeds become established, pull them out by hand or use an herbicide if weeds become too invasive.

Environmental Damage

• Among all the cole crops, cabbage is the one most sensitive to environmental damage. Cabbage plants need to be protected from extreme heat, which results in distorted cabbage and from extreme cold, which can result in the cabbage failing to "head" (produce harvestable cabbage) at all. Protect your cabbage plants from extremely cold and hot weather.