My cauli's are turning red !

My name is Sam and I live on the isle of Lewis,

We are in our 2nd year of allotment growing, I have a new bed only opened this year.

In this bed the cauliflower leaves are turning very red and one of the hearts is also now starting to go slightly pinkish.

We have tried epsom salts in 5 ltrs of water as a feed and this does not seem to have made any difference.

Where we live is an old croft and we have around 1 acre, the plot we are using is where the old plot used to be (some 15 years ago), I have noticed that today the cabbages also now seem to be starting to change colour (pinkish again),

We do have fairly strong winds, and it has been that dry this year we are having to water outside as well as in the poly tunnel.

Does anyone have any ideas.    Thanks, Sam   

eh up Helen K,

thanks for the response, but not only are the heads turning pink, all the leaves are now bright red, just like a traffic light.

I read the link you sent and I already cover the heads with the leaves to keep them white, Good Old Clothes Pegs seem to do the trick.

Any more ideas why the red leaves ?

Help Help Help.

Cheers,

Sam

Hi Sam, some varieties of cauli are pink or purple - is it definitely a white variety you are growing?

Reddish/purple leaves on brassicas usually means they are short of phosphorus. It could be that the soil is defficient, or it may be that the soil is acid and the phosphorus is not availabe to the plant.

If the hearts of the caulis have developed there is little you can do. I expect they are perfectly edible.

If the cabbages have not yet developed hearts you might try applying a foliar feed.

For the next crop test the soil to see if it is acid. Simple kits are available from garden centres. Chemical kits probably more reliable than probes.

If the cabbages are not near hearting yet it may be worth working in some hydrated lime around the plants and watering it in. Hydrated lime is very fine so watch it does not blow into your eyes.