What's wrong with my kale?

[bravheart]

Got some kale on a winter forage brassica scheme, so minimum cultivation and no fertilizer and the leaves are turning purple. Just wondering if it's a soil properties problem and should it be corrected before the next crop, probably spring barley.

 

[Great In Grass]

It could be cabbage root fly or cabbage mealy aphid have you had a good look at the plants? Photos may help.

 

[Limcrazy]

Trace elements deficiency possibly boron, manganese. Can be dosed on as foliar feed

 

[deleted user 837354]

Some brassicas seem to have occasionally purply foliage when they are newly emerged but it can indicate phosphate deficiency. Are the plants otherwise growing normally or are they all stunted, unhappy looking or floppy etc?

I would definitely be doing a broad spectrum soil test with YARA ahead of time for the next crop.

 

[Will 1594]

What su chemistry has the field had

 

[richard hammond]

Got some kale on a winter forage brassica scheme, so minimum cultivation and no fertilizer and the leaves are turning purple. Just wondering if it's a soil properties problem and should it be corrected before the next crop, probably spring barley.

A picture would help please!

 

[Kidds]

I’ve grown cabbages all my life, when they turn purple it tells me they need nitrogen.
And even if it isn’t nitrogen they need it turns them green again.

Don’t go and put nitram on with the wagtail and scorch them.

 

[Bogweevil]

Got some kale on a winter forage brassica scheme, so minimum cultivation and no fertilizer and the leaves are turning purple. Just wondering if it's a soil properties problem and should it be corrected before the next crop, probably spring barley.

The answer lies in the soil - check the root situation; dry, compaction, pests, lack of consolidation...

 

[bravheart]

Technology almost beat me but here goes a few pics of the kale


As you can see somethings having a feast, is this the cause of the purple leaves or is

The answer lies in the soil - check the root situation; dry, compaction, pests, lack of consolidation...

Wont be for the want of moisture given the weather

 

[Kidds]

Could be clubroot but I would expect it to be patchy rather than the whole field.
Dig a few up and look at the roots.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Extreme wet or extreme dry ?

Mg not getting to where its needed.

 

[bravheart]

Extreme wet or extreme dry ?

Mg not getting to where its needed.

tech again
battery flat on keyboard mid sentence, should have finished with the wet July/August we've just had

Yes planted in a dustbowl but plenty moisture since
first time with a drill, usually just spun on and harrowed in

 

[Bogweevil]

Technology almost beat me but here goes a few pics of the kale


As you can see somethings having a feast, is this the cause of the purple leaves or is

Wont be for the want of moisture given the weather

Ah, bustard dry here in the SE...

I am thinking P deficiency; plants are quite upright, older leaves purple and signs of discoloration in newer leaves.

Of course it may not be deficiency as such, root function might be impaired by heavy rain, soil compaction etc.

 

[bravheart]

not any wetter in this field than i thought


roots do look stunted and horizontal

 

[Kidds]

Lack of fertiliser exacerbated by compaction. Final answer.

 

[Badshot]

Osr goes purple if waterlogged, and in January every year

 

[Bury the Trash]

tech again
battery flat on keyboard mid sentence, should have finished with the wet July/August we've just had

Yes planted in a dustbowl but plenty moisture since
first time with a drill, usually just spun on and harrowed in

Yeah, kales fairly fussy doesnt like it slumped/ poor drained , too acid or too tight.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Cripes that is spectacular, as others have suggested there is a nutrient deficiency which in all likelihood is a rooting issue caused by the wet/compaction. Some dry warm weather will probably help it grow through it. Definitely soil test for the next crop. I've never seen kale like that but OSR will often turn funny colours in winter when its miserable.

 

[michael N123]

My kale wouldn’t grow this year after a wonderful crop last year

 

[cotswoldcs]

What scheme are you in @bravheart ? We have kale in our Countryside Stewardship and we cannot apply any herbicides or insecticides but we do put on fertiliser. All brassicas are hungry crops and need feeding to realise their potential. Might you be better growing stubble turnips at a lower seedrate as they are a very cheap crop to grow. Kale seed is too expensive, particularly if they fail to perform.