It’s little wonder that kale has become so popular as a home garden produce. It’s loaded with health benefits and comes in a slew of preparation options. But what happens if your kale starts to show signs of a problem, such as black spots?
Black Spot On Kale Leaves, Why?
There are no pathogens on the kale that create the black spots you see on it; they’re simply rotting or dead cells that the kale plant has contracted. Toxins and proteins are produced when these pathogens begin attacking the plant, and they do great harm to the plant’s immune system. As a result, the plant’s cells begin to degenerate and die.
Reader Poll: What online courses would interest you?
Nobody wants to eat kale that is strewn with black death spots. However, by treating and caring for your kale properly, you can keep these bacterial and fungal illnesses at bay.
Safe To Eat?
But first, let’s take care of business. Does Kale with black spots pose a health risk? Yes. If your kale has black spots, don’t worry about it. Even though dead kale cells don’t taste great, you may safely consume them as long as you wash them well before eating them.
You may be concerned about the safety of eating infected kale, but the bacteria and fungus that cause the infection have evolved to attack the immune system of plants, not people. Please wash your kale well before eating it.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
As an extra precaution, scrub your vegetables with organic vegetable sanitizer. With this method, the kale will be cleaner than with a simple water washing, decreasing the risk of food illness in the process.
How Can You Get Rid Of Kale’s Black Spots?
Leaf spot is most likely to be the cause of any black spots on the plant of kale. Leaf spot is a rather common ailment, and although it is treatable, it is much preferable to try to prevent it from arising.
As a result of these two factors:
Leaf Spotty With Fungus
Kale black spots are often caused by leaf spots, which is a common ailment (although the spots can also be brown as well). This condition is brought on by a kind of fungus that is called Alternaria Brassicae, and if ignored, the spots will grow in size.
And when the condition worsens, you may see black patches that like targets with concentric rings emerging from them.
It’s quite probable that the Alternaria Leaf spot may appear on your kale if the weather is humid and warm while you’re growing it. To that end, before planting your kale, pull out any weeds that could be nearby since they might host the fungus that causes the leaves to turn yellow or brown.
Leaf Spotted with Bacteria
Aside from bacteria, another common cause of leaf spot is fungus.
When your kale is infected with bacterial leaf rot, you’ll see black dots and brown patches with yellow halos similar to the concentric rings described above, much as you would with fungal leaf spots.
It is possible for the dots to be as small as 3/16 of an inch in diameter and to occur anywhere on the leaf.
When compared to fungal leaf spots, the bacterial leaf spot thrives in chilly, moist environments. To be safe, avoid letting your kale sit in water for an extended period if you know it’s already infected with the disease. As a result, the likelihood of it spreading to another will rise. One another reason hydroponics is the better choice. If you keep your kale inside, be sure to keep the leaves completely dry.
Like fungal leaf spots, the bacteria may be transported in the plant’s seed as well as other places.
Best Ways To Deal With Leaf Spot?
Leaf spot may be treated in a few ways, but the best approach is to prevent it from reaching this far. While therapy is important, the ultimate winner is prevention.
Drugs That Kill Fungi (Fungal)
Even while there are several methods to cure leaf spots, in the vast majority of instances, fungicides are required (which, if you’re growing kale at home, may not be for you).
If you’re an organic farmer, your options for fungicides include captan or copper; but, if you don’t mind using something more potent, your options include some of the commercially available fungicides!
Neem Oil
Neem oil might be a fantastic alternative if you’re opposed to applying any kind of fungicide. It’s a natural pesticide that seems to be quite effective, according to those who have tried it.
And the greatest thing is that plants treated with neem oil may still be consumed. Only one day must pass between spraying your kale with neem oil and eating it for the treatment to take effect In addition, you should carefully wash the kale to be safe.
Remove Infected Leaves
If you find diseased leaves, remove them and burn them as soon as possible. Moreover, if the majority of the kale is affected, the best option is to remove it totally to prevent the germs from spreading to other plants in the area.
Use Baking Soda
Kale may also be treated naturally by spraying it with a baking soda solution. Just combine a teaspoon of baking soda with two teaspoons of vegetable oil, water, and dishwashing liquid to make this concoction.
For this procedure to work, your kale must be resistant to the treatment. In other words, do not use much and let it sit for 24 hours on a few leaves. Use a different approach if you see any damage to the leaves.
Conclusion
Xanthomonas bacteria and Alternaria alternative fungus generate the black patches on Kale. Kale leaves may get contaminated with bacteria or fungus, although it is easy to avoid this. The good news is that you can get rid of the dark spots.
In addition, you should not be concerned about contracting an illness from eating Kale. On the other hand, if you want to get the nutritional advantages of Kale to the full, avoid planting it in an area where leaf spots will thrive.
