Diagnosing mineral deficiencies in cabbages: Part 1

Many farmers have great difficulty identifying mineral deficiencies in their cabbages, writes Bill Kerr.

- Bill Kerr

Usually, farmers panic when they see a deficiency symptom in their cabbages and try to ask for outside help. Often those that they ask don’t know and are too embarrassed to admit it; instead of saying they don’t know, they offer up a diagnosis as a guess to try and save face.

There are protocols that you can follow to eliminate many possible deficiencies from your diagnosis. There are charts showing at what soil pH each element becomes unavailable, so one can check through the soil analysis which elements are unlikely to be absorbed by the plant.

For instance, if the soil is acidic, molybdenum becomes less available and there could be a deficiency of this element. It is unlikely, but not impossible, to occur when the soil pH is neutral or higher. The symptoms are a yellowing between the veins and leaf cupping.

STARTING IN PATCHES