We have a few vegetables planted in the county this fall. Here is Brandon Barnes with some bare ground broccoli that was transplanted back in October. This variety is Emerald Crown which is a mid-season variety in Georgia and North Carolina. The heads are coming on now, and some will probably be ready to pick in a week to ten days. The overall plants and color look good across the field. He has a pivot in this field, and we want to make sure we’re putting on an inch more or less of water each week.
Caterpillars are a common insect pest of cole crops. We have been checking for diamond back moths which is part of the cabbageworm complex. Populations are low in the field right now which is good since management is a challenge with resistance. When scouting, we note the ‘window pane’ effect that is common from diamondback moth feeding.
Some disease is showing up but not causing real problems. Alternaria is usually observed with concentric ring on a leaf. Another pathogen we may check for is black rot, which is a bacteria in the Xanthamonus genera. Below is a photo of black rot in red cabbage. With black rot you generally see yellowing at the leaf margin, and you will see ‘black veins’ running through the yellow/necrotic area through the light. Lesions are usually characteristic of V-shape. Upcoming cool nights will hold back the bacterium. So far, a good fungicide program has proved to be effective.
Black Rot of red cabbage
Thomas County Ag 
