Kale new leaf growth is dark
Blue265
Posts: 5
Hello, I am new to this forum as well as new to gardening. As an avid kale fan I decided to try some diffeeent varieties of kale growing. I have a bunch of Siberian kale growing in my garden but recently noticed that all the new baby leaves are dark. They are a brownish colour and am not sure if this is normal or if it's an issue. The plants appear healthy and were transplanted two weeks ago. If you look close at the picture and take a look at the middle of some of the kale plants, you'll see dark growth in there. aome of the baby leaves blackish brown. I don't know if they just start this way and eventually grow longer and turn green. If anyone knows please let me know! I'm worried that these have an issue and perhaps I can rectify it before it's too late. We have had good doses of rain and grey skies the last week so not sure if that has contributed to it.
Thanks!
Posts
Here is a closer look at one kale plant and the dark new leaf
Very healthy young kale plants
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Thanks very much for your comments! I thought they looked and felt very healthy and could not figure out for the life of me why the newer leaves were so dark and was afraid it was an issue and I'd have to start over after many weeks growing these indoors and hardening them off. Thank you for easing my concerns.
Yes, those are tomato plants, and you are probably right, those shouldn't be out so early. They were actually extra seedlings I had that should have been pinched off as they were extras in my starter pods but felt bad doing so. I thought I'd give them a chance in the elements. Although I suppose even if they do make it, they wouldn't be very productive because of the colder evenings and being out too early? Maybe I'll re-pot them and keep them indoors for now as you have suggested.
Many thanks!
I'm like that too Blue - can't bear to throw spare seedlings away so if I can't give them away they get planted somewhere even if they have no real chance of thriving!
New leaves in kales are usually smooth, shiny, dark green, so any other appearance is a sign disease. It could be alternaria leaft spot, damping-off or anthracnose, but you should not ignore possibility of any other fungal disease. You can learn all diseases of kales from this guide, bit.ly/2qw12p2 , and know how to prevent, control and treat them.
Last edited: 05 May 2017 17:30:01
Sorry if I'm off the mark, but most kale crops that I've grown or seen have dark green leaves (the new ones)!
Thanks for the replies. From what I can tell the green colour seems to be ok and seems like its the right colour when looking at pictures of other Siberian kale. When I feel the new growth it doesn't feel any different haha the rest of the plant so am not sure if it's a fungus or mildew. My area has had some cold wet weather for the past few days and the plants haven't grown much to tell if its worsening. I think as the new leaves grow the darker parts turn green but will have to monitor once it warms up and the growth continues