What pests attack cabbage?

Cabbage moth, Cabbage root fly, Cabbage white caterpillars, Diamondback moth, Flea beetles, Leaf Miner

What diseases affect cabbage?

Bacterial soft rot, Clubroot, Downy Mildew, Fusarium wilt, White mould (Sclerotinia)

Cabbage pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which cabbage problems need quick action?

Cabbage moth: Older caterpillars bore into the hearts of cabbages, so damage shows when the head is cut. Bacterial soft rot: Whole roots, tubers, bulbs, heads or fruit can collapse within a few days, often leaving only the skin — in the garden and in storage. Clubroot: Growth and yield are badly reduced, and severely affected plants may die. Downy Mildew: Badly affected leaves shrivel and turn brown or yellow and fall early; plants become stunted and some may die. Fusarium wilt: A cut stem shows brown or reddish-brown water-conducting tissue — lines lengthways, dots or a ring in cross-section. White mould (Sclerotinia): Later, hard black seed-like bodies (sclerotia) 0.5–1 cm across in the mould and inside hollow stems.

Brassica oleracea

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for cabbage in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	12
Pests	6
Diseases	5
Nutrient deficiencies	1
Need quick action	6

How to grow cabbage · All pests and diseases

Pests

Cabbage mothOlder caterpillars bore into the hearts of cabbages, so damage shows when the head is cut.Photo: picture taken by Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Cabbage root flySwede, turnip and radish roots are tunnelled and ruined.Also called: cabbage maggot, cabbage flyPhoto: James K. Lindsey, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cabbage white caterpillarsSmall white — pale green, velvety caterpillars with a thin yellow line along the back; single yellow eggs on leaf undersides.Also called: large white, cabbage butterflyPhoto: Schlaghecken Josef, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Diamondback mothOlder caterpillars chew small holes and attack growing points, flower buds and broccoli or cauliflower heads, which can stunt young plants.Photo: Please report references to olei@despammed.com ., CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Flea beetlesSeedlings and fresh transplants are hit hardest and can be stunted; older plants are rarely harmed unless beetles are numerous.Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leaf MinerHeavily mined leaves dry up or drop early; badly affected tomato plants can lose most of their leaves.Photo: Flowersabc, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Nutrient deficiencies

Boron deficiencyDiscoloured flesh or rotting hearts in beetroot, turnips, swedes and celeriac; beetroot may also have rough, cankered patches.Photo: Jan Hinrichs-Berger, LTZ Augustenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Which cabbage problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Cabbage moth: Holes in the outer leaves and dark droppings on the plants.
Bacterial soft rot: Potato stems may turn black and rot from the base upwards (blackleg).
Clubroot: Stunted growth, purplish leaves and wilting in hot weather; wilted plants may recover for a while when it is cooler.
Downy Mildew: Pale green, yellow, purple or brown blotches on the upper side of leaves, often angular where they are bordered by the veins.
Fusarium wilt: White, pink or orange fungal growth may appear on dead stems in wet weather; the whole plant usually dies.
White mould (Sclerotinia): Roots, heads, pods and fruit can rot too, also in storage.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.