Q.Why are my kale transplants “fading” in color
Why are my kale transplants “fading” in color and losing leaves? I planted my kale seedlings (Red Russian) outside after a week of hardening and they did well for about two days and then they started to lose color. Some of the early leaf stems look like they got pinched about half way up the stem. The weather has been cool and mild with quite a bit of gusty wind. What’s happening and can I save them?
Did the temperatures dip below 20 degrees after you transplanted them? That is the temperature tolerance for kale. And it is recommended to protect young plants from severe cold winds with a cover if you plant them early in the spring.
How have you been watering them? I just want to evaluate the possibility of them being under or over-watered.
How tall were the plants when you planted them and how many leaves did they have?
Are any other seedlings planted in this soil bed and, if so, how are they faring? When you said the seedlings looked pinched off I wondered if they were "damping off" due to a soil fungus.
For more information on growing kale, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/kale/growing-kale.htm
