Soil lacking something??

[fastlearner]

Hi all,

Another question I'm afraid!

I planted some kale I grew from seed down on my lottie about a month/6 weeks ago and also planted a couple on my veggie patch in my back garden...
I've noticed that the plants growing in my back garden are very a healthy looking dark green whilst the ones on the lottie arent looking so good, much lighter green and smaller -

so my question is do you think the soil on the lottie is lacking something and is there something I can add to improve it??

[sewer rat]

my question is do you think the soil on the lottie is lacking something and is there something I can add to improve it??

It certainly sounds from your description that your lottie soil may be lacking nutrients, though this may not be the only problem. Are any other nearby leafy plants suffering like this or just the Kale ? If everything planted round about is healthy then it is unlikely to be nutrients - it may just be a poorly specimen.
It could be that the soil is poorly drained and the plants roots are drowning, but waterlogged soil should be obvious.
I am reluctant to tell you to put down some fast acting fertiliser til I know about surrounding plants, though in the meantime you could try watering the plant with water with a little Epsom Salts added - I kid you not - works as a plant tonic, or use a foliar feed if you have one available, and see if that helps.
Let us know how you get on.

[Two_Sheds]

Plants on my lottie are always smaller than plants in my garden ... the lottie is very exposed to winds, which stunt growth in just about everything.

Can you put some rotted garden compost round them? A comfrey or nettle mulch? (as a nutritious mulch)

[Flummery]

My half lottie is very sheltered but I'd agree with the above remarks that the growing conditions are probably rather different.

[fastlearner]

Thanks for the responses everyone...

Sewer Rat - I've got some sprouting broccoli growing nearby which also looks a bit sad! I only took the plot on at the end of last summer and it was in a right state and must have been neglected for some time - these are the first veggies i've grown in this spot so far, apart from some over winter onions and garlic, which didnt do too bad... I took a couple of photos to see if you recognise whats up with them!

[gojiberry]

Soil around your plants doesn't look to be all that good, it definitely looks to be lacking in organic material. I would agree with TS and put an organic mulch of some sort around them. Hope they pick up a bit.

Ian

[bridget mc laughlin]

What you need is a wind breaker,some farm yard manure and some lime

[Snadger]

They look like two different kales to me! One on the left is curly kale the other looks like a fodder kale!

[fastlearner]

One of them's a purple sprouting!! Obviously things are looking worse than i thought!!!

[fastlearner]

What you need is a wind breaker,some farm yard manure and some lime

Can I add manure around the plants now - or is it too late? We've still a heap of manure on the site I could use....

[Flummery]

As long as it's well rotted. Fresh manure will damage the plants.

[fastlearner]

Will be down there tonight with me wheel barrow then!

[fastlearner]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd show you a pic I took of the kale I was having problems with last month... I took all the advice on board, added plenty of manure around the struggling plants and this is the very same kale in the earlier photo - what a difference! Thanks for everyone's help and advice.....