Here are some common cauliflower pests and diseases, along with methods for control and prevention:
Pests
Aphids
- Symptoms: Curled, misshapen, or yellow leaves; distorted flowers or fruit; sticky “honeydew” with sooty, black mold.
- Control/Prevention: Grow companion plants, use water spray, apply insecticidal soap, place banana or orange peels around plants, wipe leaves with a solution of water and dish soap, introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs.
Cabbage Loopers
- Symptoms: Large, ragged holes in leaves from larval feeding; defoliation; stunted or bored heads with excrement.
- Control/Prevention: Handpick off plants, use row covers, spray larvae with insecticidal soap or Bacillus thuringiensis, remove plant debris at the end of the season.
Cabbageworms
- Symptoms: Leaves with large, ragged holes or skeletonization; bored heads; dark green excrement; yellowish eggs laid on leaf undersides.
- Control/Prevention: Handpick, use row covers, invite beneficial insects, use companion plants like thyme, spray Bacillus thuringiensis.
Diseases
Black Rot
- Symptoms: Yellow V-shaped areas on leaf edges that turn brown and collapse; blackened veins in stem cross sections.
- Control/Prevention: Destroy infected plants, ensure good drainage, remove plant debris, and rotate crops.
Clubroot
- Symptoms: Wilted or stunted plants, yellow leaves, swollen or distorted roots.
- Control/Prevention: Destroy infected plants, solarize soil, maintain optimal soil pH, disinfect tools, and rotate crops.
Downy Mildew
- Symptoms: Yellow angular spots on upper leaf surfaces, white/purple/gray cottony growth on leaf undersides, distorted leaves, and defoliation.
- Control/Prevention: Remove plant debris, choose resistant varieties, ensure good air circulation, and avoid overhead watering.
These practices can help you prevent and manage the common pests and diseases that can affect your cauliflower crop.
