pests on swedes

[chrise]

on my last growth of swedes there were little white maggots on all of them what are they and can i prevent this

[Monika]

When you say "maggots", you really mean "maggots" not caterpillars? Swedes belong to the brassicas, so their leaves are sometimes attacked by cabbage white caterpillars. If they were maggots in the roots, that seems to suggest to me that the roots were rotting.

[chrise]

when i say maggots they were little white possibly catapilars but not on leaves actually on the swede veg.i have netting to protect veg from flying pests.

[alan refail]

As Monika says, swedes are brassicas (cabbage family) and the swede is a swollen root. Cabbage root fly sounds the obvious culprit.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=646

[chrise]

thanks for info but how do i prevent the same next season

[Westi]

Cover them Chrise!

ONetting, fleece or environmesh over all your brassicas. Lots of critters like them. You can use collars for a lot of brassicas to stop the fly laying as well but I find environmesh over them from planting does the trick too.

Westi

[chrise]

thanks westi