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Container Gardening

Broccoli in EB, leaf edge getting burned??

16 years ago

I'm growing broccoli (Park's dwarf) in home made earthboxes. It is growing nicely, but any lower leaf that touches the plastic cover of the earth box browns on the edge and eventually dies. The rest of the plant looks nice and healthy. Looks like the leaf is getting burned?? I was concerned about possible fertilizer burn, but the brown edges happen only on lowest leaves that are touching the plastic.

I'm in Georgia, and already using white plastic cover. Has anyone else had this happen? This is my first year to try EBs.

Thanks for any advise you can give.

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Comments (6)

justaguy2
16 years ago
Not really sure what is going on. As long as you can identify the cause as contact with the cover I wouldn't worry too much about it.
kristink
16 years ago
It very easily could be sun burn if you've got in in an area with bright sunlight. Otherwise it could be a host of nutrient shortages. One element that comes to mind as an agronomist is potassium. This will affect older leaves, and if it transfers up the plant it would be a good indication that your soil is lacking proper nutrients. Nutrients work in very close relationship with each other so it may be hard to tell overnight! Best of luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Protect plants from spring frost!
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I have grown orchids under 400W metal halide bulbs for six years. For several of those years, catts were the type of orchid I was primarily growing. Eighteen inches from the top of the leaves is really quite far away for catts. You are getting good advice from the posters above -- the black spots you have are not burn from the lights, and are most likely rots. acclimate your catts to the higher light by starting them further away from the lights and gradually moving them closer every three or four days or so. Leaves should feel cool or barely warm to the touch. Any orchid in light that is too strong can easily burn in an hour or even less. As Calvin pointed out, light that is too strong causes the leaves to turn a harsh yellow. Actual burn might be white or could be mushy brown, but would appear on the flat part of the leaf exposed most directly to the light, not on the edges. As to why the spots should suddenly appear when you first put them under lights-- probably just a coincidence. Rots always seem suddenly to appear out of nowhere. As you suspected, rots are more likely under lower light conditions. Prevention includes higher light and more circulating air. So you are increasing the light just in time. You have to watch closely to make sure the rot doesn't spread. It can spread very fast. Spray the plant with a dilute solution of Physan 20, or gently rub cinnamon on both sides of the leaves. You might have to cut off the affected portions if it continues to spread.
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I'd ignore the brown leaf edges for now. I'm laughing with you but if I got concerned about all that I see on my own plants I'd be a nervous wreck. LOL (No BER on any of the fruits (the few that I do have). I did have a couple of spots on two tomatoes from the same plant (same cluster, in fact) that I removed. When I cut them open it showed that the discoloration went through the tomato and there were 1 or 2 blackened seeds in the location of the spot. The only other unusual thing I've noticed is a tan lesion on the stem of one of the plants. It does not have concentric rings and it is not elongated. None of these ) So I'm assuming the spots were not at the blossom end. Black Mold Rot can give the fruits dark colored spots and also stem lesions and this infection is encouraged in high humidity low air movement situations. it isn't a serious situation and usually self corrects/ Carolyn
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
16 years ago
. . . interesting that as far as I can tell, Kristin has never left a reply on this site where she didn't leave a commercial behind. It's also pretty clear there wasn't much time spent reading the question.

Al
ronalawn82
16 years ago
opal52, it has been my observation that a similar condition occurs whenever and wherever a leaf(let) touches an inanimate object -a wall, a container or even when people brush up against a plant regularly.
opal52
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for your responses. It is great to have access to this forum and to good people who will share their experience.
clumsyraine
16 years ago
Opal52, I have seen a very similar problem with my broccoli! I had wondered if it was heat-related, as my porch is west-facing and very hot in the afternoon, and I had even thought the leaves look "burnt" (turning yellow, then an orangey-red) but I hadn't thought about it being from contact with the container.

Mine are in very small containers right now but I'm looking for bigger ones to move them up. I'm also going to hang shade cloth over part of my porch to try to give them a break from the sun.

I'm also starting a battle with cabbage loopers, but that's a whole 'nother post, LOL.

Here is a link that might be useful: my flickr photos: broccoli (and other veggies)

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