Problems with kale
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on kale.
Common problems with kale
The problems recorded on kale, the most common first.
15 problems
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Aphids
Small, soft insects clustered on new growth and under leaves, leaving sticky honeydew. -
Birds
Torn, stripped brassica leaves, pecked fruit, and seeds or seedlings pulled from the soil. -
Caterpillars
Holes chewed in leaves, often down to the veins, with green droppings below. -
Clubroot
Brassicas wilt on warm days and stay small; roots are swollen into knobbly clubs. -
Flea beetles
Lots of tiny round holes in young leaves, and small beetles that jump when disturbed. -
Fungal leaf spots
Round brown or grey spots with darker rims on leaves, spreading in wet weather. -
Nitrogen deficiency
Pale, small leaves and slow growth, with the oldest leaves yellowing first. -
Whitefly
Tiny white flies that rise in a cloud when you touch the plant. Leaves go sticky and yellow. -
Slugs and snails
Ragged holes in leaves and seedlings gone overnight, with silvery slime trails. -
Bolting (running to seed)
A tall flower stalk from the centre of a leafy crop. The leaves turn bitter and tough. -
Cabbage root fly
Young brassicas wilt and die; white maggots are eating the roots. -
Heat stress
Afternoon wilting, dropped flowers and stalled fruit in a hot spell, even in moist soil.
