Lime & Brassicas

Brassicas like kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage thrive in high lime levels. They like a pH level of 7 or more.  Why put a handful of lime in your planting hole of these cole crops?  If the soil is too acid, your brassica becomes more susceptible to clubroot which is caused by the soilborne fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae and can pesist in the soil 7-10 years or longer as resting spores.  The effect of this fungus is to reduce the plant's ability to take up water.  Furthermore, the clubbed or malformed root tissue fails to develop a protective outer layer making it susceptible to invasion by soft rotting bacteria.  Young plants infected are stunted or die.  Mature ones fail to make much growth and when water stressed exhibit abnormal wilting and yellowing of leaves.  When they are pulled from the soil, the roots are usually swollen and distorted.

Those cole plants most susceptible to clubroot according to Cornell are Brussels sprouts and cabbage and some turnips.  Kohlrabi, kale, cauliflower, collards, broccoli, rutabaga, some turnips and radishes have medium susceptibility.  We have lots of lime, so give your brassicas a boost by mixing a little handful in the planting hole or the area where you are sowing seeds.  There is lime in a yellow bucket located in front of the shed.  More lime is in the westernmost compost bin.