Club Root UK
Club root (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a soil-borne disease that deforms brassica roots and persists in soil for 20+ years. There is no cure — prevention is everything.
Disease information verified against RHS guidance by the SoilCommander Growing Team.
Symptoms
- Plants wilt during the day even when soil is moist, then partially recover at night
- Stunted, yellow-green leaves
- Lifting infected plants reveals swollen, distorted ‘club-like’ roots
- In severe cases plants collapse and die before cropping
How It Spreads
Club root spores survive in soil for 20–25 years and are spread by: water movement; contaminated tools or boots; bringing in infected soil or transplants. One infected plant can release billions of spores into the soil.
Prevention
- Raise soil pH to 7.0+: club root thrives in acidic soil; lime the bed in autumn and retest before sowing. Raising pH doesn’t eliminate the disease but significantly reduces its severity
- Rotate brassicas: never grow brassicas in the same ground for more than one year in four
- Choose resistant varieties: Kilaton F1 (cabbage), Clapton F1 (cabbage), Caraflex F1, and Supervisor F1 (swede) have strong club root resistance
- Raise transplants in deep pots: starting brassicas in 9cm deep individual pots gives them a strong root system before planting out, helping them outgrow mild infection
- Don’t bring in soil: avoid using soil from other gardens or buying bare-root brassica transplants from unknown sources
- Clean tools: disinfect all tools that have been in contact with infected soil before using in other beds
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Accepting brassica plants from friends or unknown sources. The RHS specifically warns gardening friends may unwittingly pass on infected transplants — buy from a guaranteed club-root-free source instead.
- Guessing at lime rates. The RHS recommended rate is 500g per sq m in the first year, dropping to 270g per sq m in following years — over- or under-applying wastes the treatment.
- Assuming resistant varieties are immune. Cultivars like Kilaton F1 and Clapton F1 have strong resistance, but resistance reduces severity — it doesn't guarantee a completely clean crop in heavily infected soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get club root from a friend's garden?
Yes, unwittingly — the RHS specifically warns that transplants from gardening friends can be an unrecognised source of infected plants, even with the best of intentions.
How much lime do I need to treat club-root-prone soil?
The RHS recommends 500g per square metre in the first year, then lighter dressings of around 270g per square metre in subsequent years.
Is there a chemical treatment for club root?
No — the RHS confirms there are no chemicals available to gardeners to treat club root, which is why prevention through pH, rotation and clean stock is essential.
See all disease guides: Garden Problems UK · Growing brassicas? See Cabbage, Kale and Brussels Sprouts growing guides · Browse sowing dates in the UK vegetable planting calendar
Last updated 4 July 2026
Fix The Cause, Then Plan The Next Crop
Troubleshooting works best when you improve the growing conditions and record what changed for the next season.
Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.