Pak Choi Pests And Diseases

Pak Choi is a great vegetable, fairly easy to grow but they are susceptible to most of the diseases relating to brassicas. The one advantage they have is that they have a very quick growing season so they often the problems with pests and diseases do not have time to do their damage.

Slugs and snails can do a lot of damage, set slug traps and remove any slugs and snails you see. The crop can be protected by netting if it is too serious. This will also stop caterpillars and butterflies getting onto the crops and eating the leaves.

Greenfly and other aphids can be removed with soapy water and introducing flowers to attract ladybirds can bring an environmental solution Cabbage root fly will cause major problems if it gets going but the life cycle is usually too short to cause serious problems.

Cabbage root fly eats the stalks off at the base, to stop the flies jumping from the soil where they live onto the leaves a 5 cm collar can be put around the stalk which should (but not always)stop them. Alternatively the crop can have fleece or mesh up over them (make a low cage with canes with flower pots on top of them, the mesh will them sit nicely on the top) to limit the damage done by the flies.

Flea beetles will eat into the leaves and leave little holes, they can do a lot of damage, insecticides may help but the best ones are now banned. Probably the best thing is to remove the badly affected plants and destroy them, Covering with fleece or a fine mesh can help but this should be carried out at the start.

For more information also find out How To Grow Pak Choi

By Richard Allen -