Avoid hardening transplants near infested fields. Direct-seeded crops may avoid some injury when a set of drag chains is attached behind the planter to eliminate the moisture gradiant in the seedrow. Adult flies are believed to be able to locate the seed row for egglaying by honing in on the higher moisture levels created when the soil is overturned for planting. Older plants may outgrow moderate cabbage maggot populations if maintained with a careful irrigation schedule. Always disk under crop residues immediately after harvest.
Maggots can survive for some time in crop residue.
Do not follow susceptible crops with susceptible crops unless sufficient time has passed for the residue to dry or decompose completely. Every year, treat spring planted or transplanted crops in areas where cabbage maggot causes economic injury with a band of insecticide at the base of the plant at the time of planting or transplanting. Later sprays can not be relied upon to effectively control the pest. Seedbeds for transplanted crops should also be fumigated or treated with an insecticide. If roots are tunneled but no maggots are present, maggots have left roots to pupate and insecticide treatments would be of little value.