NOTE: Cabbage may be referred to as Brassica oleracea in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Brassica oleracea is the botanical name for Cabbage.
A leafy green vegetable that comes in a densely packed head is cabbage. Some cabbage varieties are bred for their looks and not for food, including ones with curly leaves, purple coloring, and ornamental cabbage varieties.
As it completes its life cycle, cabbage is a biennial crop, flowering and going to seed in its second season. Gardeners grow it as an annual and harvest it within one growing season for peak quality. The cool-season vegetable should be grown in the spring or fall, and it has a fast growth rate.
Why does my Brassica oleracea roots have rot?
If left untreated, root rot on your Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Why does my Cabbage have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.
Our Solution
When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Brassica oleracea being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.
Why does my Cabbage have leaf spots?
We provide you with all the information you need to identify and save your plants if they display signs like leaves that suddenly change color or wilt/droop. This sort of sickness is one of the most aggravating for Cabbage owners.
Why are my Cabbage leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Brassica oleracea in question:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
- Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.
Is my Cabbage sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Cabbage (your Brassica oleracea) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, the leaves of your Cabbage can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.
However, there is a way to tell if it is sunburn; look at the bottom of the yellow leaves, the ones that have a shaded area closer to the root, if this area stays greener, it is probably sunburned, not something else.
Why are my Cabbage leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Brassica oleracea in direct sunlight?
No! If your Brassica oleracea (or Cabbage) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Cabbage is in such a state!
Our Solution
The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Cabbage out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.
Why are my Brassica oleracea leaves drooping or wilting ?
This typically occurs when your Brassica oleracea gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.
An easy way to know if your Brassica oleracea is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!
Our Solution
If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Cabbage right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Brassica oleracea
Water Occasionally
Water is essential to the survival of your plant, however, it is important to balance the rate of watering. As we explained above, overwatering could have fatal consequences for your Brassica oleracea.
Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It’s also a good idea to keep your Brassica oleracea at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Brassica oleracea away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Cabbage Dust-Free
This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.
For your Cabbage, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)
