Purple and read leaves - Ask Extension
The leaves of Kale, broccoli, and arugula in my garden turns purple and dark pink. The red butter lettuce turns dark pink mostly with the minimum of g...
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Purple and read leaves #880723
Asked August 08, 2024, 2:45 PM EDT
The leaves of Kale, broccoli, and arugula in my garden turns purple and dark pink. The red butter lettuce turns dark pink mostly with the minimum of green color. The overall growth of all vegetables including chard in my garden been has been stunted and they don't look healthy. My soil is the mix of garden soil and compost and I might have put too much compost. The cardboard is underneath the garden bed to prevent the weeds. I have been trying to practice no-tilt gardening so I did not tilt the local soil beneath the cardboard. I was wondering if you could help me find out the possible causes of this problem and how to fix it. Thank you!!
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for contacting "ask extension". My first impression is that the plants are suffering from lack of nutrition and heat stress. I have a few questions to help figure out what's going on with your vegetables.
1. When did you fertilize the plants and with what kind of fertilize?
2. How often and how much are you watering?
3. When you irrigate does the water seep in quickly or slowly?
4. What is your compost made of?
5. Did you plant starts or seeds?
5. Did you cut holes in the cardboard where you planted?
6. Have you noticed very tiny (1/2 inch or less) centipede looking insects in your soil?
Looking forward to your response.
1. When did you fertilize the plants and with what kind of fertilize?
2. How often and how much are you watering?
3. When you irrigate does the water seep in quickly or slowly?
4. What is your compost made of?
5. Did you plant starts or seeds?
5. Did you cut holes in the cardboard where you planted?
6. Have you noticed very tiny (1/2 inch or less) centipede looking insects in your soil?
Looking forward to your response.
Dear Deb,
1. When did you fertilize the plants and with what kind of fertilize?
Thanks for your reply. Below is the list of your questions and my response. Hope they are what you are looking for. After I received your response I added some fertilizer, punched some holes into the cardboard and water less, In addition, I also added some compost tea (IMycorrhizae, Trichoderma, Bacillus, and other soil microbes---https://www.amazon.com/Real-Growers-Recharge-Microbe-Superpack/dp/B0BKLTDZKT/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=6UQV6&content-id=amzn1.sym.352fa4e9-2aa8-47c3-b5ac-8a90ddbece20%3Aamzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&pf_rd_p=352fa4e9-2aa8-47c3-b5ac-8a90ddbece20&pf_rd_r=PTDDVFV3TN1MZMYR3P79&pd_rd_wg=hGxtR&pd_rd_r=764b30bc-9e03-479a-b583-6b440d2b5931&pd_rd_i=B0BKLTDZKT&th=1). I think I have seen less and less dark pink on kale and arugula and more green. The plants overall look more healthy:)
I did not use fertilizer at first and I just used organic one (3-4-4) on Aug.10th.
2. How often and how much are you watering?
2. How often and how much are you watering?
every day in the past when it was hot but I started to water every other day for the last few days since the weather has been cooling down.
3. When you irrigate does the water seep in quickly or slowly?
3. When you irrigate does the water seep in quickly or slowly?
I think it's relatively quick. I just put some aged douglas fir bark mulch on top three days ago.
4. What is your compost made of?
4. What is your compost made of?
Mix of commercial garden soil (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kellogg-Garden-Organics-2-cu-ft-All-Natural-Garden-Soil-for-Flowers-and-Vegetables-6850/205617876) and the following:
- homemade bokashi compost from out kitchen scraps
- aged forest products, sphagnam peat moss, hummus, limeston, lobster meal and crab meal (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Espoma-Land-Sea-Gourmet-Compost-for-Organic-Gardening-Contains-Lobster-Crab-Meal-1-cu-ft/218455932?athbdg=L1100&from=/search )
- untreated wood feedstock, with naturally occurring active fungi and bacteria (https://www.homedepot.com/p/WAKEFIELD-Premium-Compost-Soil-Amendment-1-cu-ft-Bag-04107/325843119)
- a carbon-based soil amendment made from untreated, natural wood feedstock (https://www.homedepot.com/p/WAKEFIELD-BioChar-Premium-Soil-Amendment-1-cu-ft-Bag-04109/325843116)
- worm castings (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wiggle-Worm-Worm-Castings-Organic-Fertilizer-Soil-Builder-30-Pounds/101318881?)athbdg=L1100&from=/search
5. Did you plant starts or seeds?
5. Did you plant starts or seeds?
plant starts.
6. Did you cut holes in the cardboard where you planted?
6. Did you cut holes in the cardboard where you planted?
no. I just punched some holes on Agu. 10th. Iwas hard to do so I did not do that many.
7. Have you noticed very tiny (1/2 inch or less) centipede looking insects in your soil?
7. Have you noticed very tiny (1/2 inch or less) centipede looking insects in your soil?
I think so but not 100% sure if what I saw are centipede (pretty positive they are).
Thanks again for your help!
Pata
Hi Pata,
I'm glad to hear the plants appear to be improving. I suspect you have too much compost in your soil. It takes a lot of nitrogen to decompose compost. This process is locking up the nitrogen causing plants to be nutrient deficient. You may need to add additional nitrogen in a few weeks. Keep an eye on your plants and look for signs of yellowing in the older leaves.
It would be a good idea to have your soil tested. You can get a free pH test at the Master Gardener help desk. You can drop it off at the office Monday - Fridays 8:00am to 4:00pm. You could also bring soil with the little centipedes to make sure they aren't garden symphylans.
Extension Office, Master Gardener Help Desk
Sunset Building, room 107
4077 Research Way
Corvallis, OR 97333
<personal data hidden>
For a charge you can get a complete soil analysis from OSU or a commercial analytical lab. Here's a link to more info. https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/shl/testing-services/soil-testing
I've included a couple links to OSU publications that I find helpful.
Grow your own. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9027-growing-your-own
How to use compost in Gardens and Landscapes: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9308-how-use-compost-gardens-landscapes
If the links don't work, cut and paste the address into your browser.
Hope your veggies continue to improve!
Deb
I'm glad to hear the plants appear to be improving. I suspect you have too much compost in your soil. It takes a lot of nitrogen to decompose compost. This process is locking up the nitrogen causing plants to be nutrient deficient. You may need to add additional nitrogen in a few weeks. Keep an eye on your plants and look for signs of yellowing in the older leaves.
It would be a good idea to have your soil tested. You can get a free pH test at the Master Gardener help desk. You can drop it off at the office Monday - Fridays 8:00am to 4:00pm. You could also bring soil with the little centipedes to make sure they aren't garden symphylans.
Extension Office, Master Gardener Help Desk
Sunset Building, room 107
4077 Research Way
Corvallis, OR 97333
<personal data hidden>
For a charge you can get a complete soil analysis from OSU or a commercial analytical lab. Here's a link to more info. https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/shl/testing-services/soil-testing
I've included a couple links to OSU publications that I find helpful.
Grow your own. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9027-growing-your-own
How to use compost in Gardens and Landscapes: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9308-how-use-compost-gardens-landscapes
If the links don't work, cut and paste the address into your browser.
Hope your veggies continue to improve!
Deb
