Cabbage Nutrient Deficiency: Signs, Causes and the Fertilizer That Fixes It
Cabbage nutrient deficiency is one of the first things to check when the leaves of your repolyo (cabbage) turn yellow, purple or burnt at the edges. On Philippine farms the usual ones are nitrogen, boron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur and molybdenum. This guide shows where each one starts, how to be sure, and the fertilizer that fixes it.
Start with one question: did the change begin on the old leaves or on the young ones? Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and molybdenum move inside the plant, so a shortage shows on the old, lower leaves first. But boron, calcium and sulfur stay where the plant first put them, so the young leaves and the growing tip show it first. After that, the color and the pattern narrow down which cabbage nutrient deficiency you have, and a soil test confirms it. Each one below has its signs, its causes and its fix.
Cabbage nutrient deficiency signs, old leaves and young leaves
Shows first on the old leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | old, lower leaves, the whole plant | Outer leaves turn yellow green with a red or orange tint and the head stays small or never forms. | Urea 46 0 0, Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0 |
| Potassium | old, lower leaves, leaf edges and tips | Older leaves get a light brown, withered band along the edges that curls up. | Muriate of potash 0 0 60, Sulfate of potash 0 0 50 |
| Phosphorus | the whole plant, the roots | Plants simply stay small and slow, sometimes with a pink or purple tint. | Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0, Complete 14 14 14 |
| Magnesium | old, lower leaves, between the veins | Outer leaves yellow between the veins and turn orange or red, while big veins stay green. | Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), Dolomite |
| Molybdenum | the whole plant, leaf edges and tips | On acid soil, faint yellow green plants with narrow, toothed leaves that bend down and loose heads. | Sodium molybdate, Ammonium molybdate |
Shows first on the young leaves
| Nutrient | Where it starts | What you see | Fix with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boron | young leaves and the tip, fruit, grain or tubers | Hollow, brown centre of the stem and light, loose heads. | Borax, Solubor (sodium borate) |
| Calcium | young leaves and the tip, leaf edges and tips | Brown, dry edges on the inner leaves of the head, seen only when you cut it open. | Agricultural lime, Dolomite |
| Sulfur | young leaves and the tip, the whole plant | Young inner leaves turn pale yellow and the plant is slow to head. | Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0, Gypsum |
Before you buy fertilizer for a cabbage nutrient deficiency
So use the table to pick the likeliest cabbage nutrient deficiency, then read its section below. Also keep in mind that dry soil, standing water, cold nights, a pest or a disease can look the same. That is why it pays to check the roots and the whole field first.
Nitrogen deficiency in cabbage
Older leaves turn yellow green first, then the yellowing spreads over the whole plant. Some leaves get a reddish or orange tint and dry patches. Leaves keep their shape but stay smaller, growth slows and old leaves may die. In severe cases the plant forms a tiny head or none. You see it most at this stage: from transplanting to head formation.
Why nitrogen deficiency happens in repolyo
Sandy or light soils, heavy rain or irrigation that leaches nitrogen, low organic matter, raw straw or manure that ties up nitrogen. Very low or high soil pH.
How to tell it apart
Sulfur shortage starts on the young inner leaves. Phosphorus shortage slows growth but does not yellow the leaves. To be sure, old outer leaves yellow first. Confirm with a soil test and leaf tissue test.
What to apply for nitrogen deficiency
Side dress urea or ammonium sulfate based on the soil test, in split doses before heading. For a quick green up, try a urea spray at 10 grams per liter of water (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) once every 15 days. Side dress 1 to 2 bags of Urea 46 0 0 per hectare, about 5 grams a plant, two and four weeks after transplanting, and water it in.
- Urea 46 0 0
- Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0
- Complete 14 14 14
Sold here with nitrogen: Atlas Granular Urea (46 0 0) by Atlas Fertilizer, Crown Champion Ammonium Sulfate by Aqua Hydroponic Prime Ventures (21 0 0 with 24 percent sulfur), Agripower 46 0 0 (Locally Blended) Coated by Green Acres Agri Tech and Calcipro by Ramgo (15.5 0 0 with 18.8 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to urea fertilizer, and the page on nitrogen deficiency in every crop. In anee.io, Anee, the smart farm technician, reads a photo of the leaf and tells you which nutrient is short.
To keep it away, add compost at land preparation and give nitrogen early, since the plant needs it before the head forms.
Boron deficiency in cabbage
Young leaves stay small, curl down and become deformed, with yellow mottling along the edges and between the veins and some dead patches. Heads are light and loose, plants look open and are stunted. The stem can turn hollow with a brown cavity, and heads taste bitter. You see it most at this stage: head formation.
Why boron deficiency happens in repolyo
Sandy soils where boron leaches, especially in the tropics, alkaline or overlimed soils, low organic matter, high nitrogen or calcium, and drought. Cabbage and other crucifers need more boron than most crops.
How to tell it apart
Hollow stem from very fast growth or too much nitrogen stays white and clean inside. Boron hollow stem is brown or discolored. To be sure, cut a few stems lengthwise to look for brown cavities. Confirm with a soil test and leaf tissue test for boron. In a soil test, less than 0.5 ppm of boron is low.
What to apply for boron deficiency
Try borax in the soil at about 10 kg per hectare or a borax spray at 1 gram per liter of water (16 grams in a 16 liter sprayer). Before planting cabbage, give up to about 2 kg of boron per hectare. If none went in the soil, spray 1.1 to 1.7 kg of Solubor per hectare before heading. Do not mix borax with calcium or ammonium fertilizer.
- Borax
- Solubor (sodium borate)
Sold here with boron: Etifert 11 (Borax Decahydrate) by Zetryl Chem (11 percent boron), Fertibagra 15G by Unilox Far East Resources (14.6 percent boron), B17 (Boric Acid) by Newman Chemicals (17 percent boron) and Better Yield by Bacphil Planters Fertilizer (0 0 0.9 with 10 percent boron). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to foliar fertilizer, and the page on boron deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, add boron to the basal fertilizer every cabbage crop on sandy soils. You can also add 100 grams of borax per 100 square meters of nursery bed. Test the soil every two or three years.
Calcium deficiency in cabbage
Dead brown lesions form on the tips and edges of young leaves and spread inward. Inside the head, the edges of inner leaves turn brown with a sharp border while the outer wrapper leaves look fine. So it shows only when the head is cut. It often gets worse near harvest and in storage, and soft rot can follow. Early, severe shortage stunts the plant so it may not head. You see it most at this stage: head filling, especially during hot dry periods of fast growth.
Why calcium deficiency happens in repolyo
Usually poor calcium movement into fast growing inner leaves rather than low soil calcium. Water stress (too dry or too wet), high ammonium, potassium or magnesium, acid sandy soils and large heads raise the risk. Boron shortage also adds to tip burn.
How to tell it apart
Black rot (a bacterial disease) makes V shaped yellow lesions from the outer leaf edges with black veins. Thrips scars inside heads are small brown scratches, not dead leaf edges. To be sure, cut sample heads open to check inner leaves. Soil test for calcium and pH.
What to apply for calcium deficiency
Keep soil moisture steady. On acid soil, try lime at about 250 kg per hectare when pH is 5.5 to 6, or about 840 kg per hectare in two doses when pH is 3.5 to 4.5. Gypsum on soil that is not acid. Correct boron at the same time. Lime 2 to 4 weeks before planting. Calcium sprays go on young fruit from fruit set.
- Agricultural lime
- Dolomite
- Gypsum
- Calcium nitrate
Sold here with calcium: Micronized Activated Calcite by CMCS Agricultural Products (37.6 percent calcium), Dolomite by A6 Agrisource (24 percent calcium and 11 percent magnesium), Titon Pro by Vast Agro (27.2 percent calcium, 6.1 percent silicon and 3.6 percent magnesium) and Calcipro by Ramgo (15.5 0 0 with 18.8 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to fertilizer for tomatoes, and the page on calcium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, lime acid soil before planting, avoid heavy ammonium and potash, water evenly, and choose varieties less prone to tip burn. Test the soil every two or three years.
Potassium deficiency in cabbage
Older leaves develop a light brown, dead band along the edges that spreads inward toward the middle. Leaf edges curl upward, and some leaves show yellow spots or stripes with dark green bases. Heads are smaller and loose, and in severe cases growth is badly reduced. You see it most at this stage: head formation and filling.
Why potassium deficiency happens in repolyo
Acid or sandy soils, heavy rain or irrigation, drought, low potassium reserves and soils rich in magnesium.
How to tell it apart
Magnesium shortage yellows between the veins with orange or red tints rather than a brown edge band. To be sure, soil test for potassium and a leaf tissue test.
What to apply for potassium deficiency
Apply muriate of potash based on the soil test, preferably in split doses. For an immediate remedy, try a morning spray of sulfate of potash at 10 grams per liter of water (160 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) with a sticker. Keep soil pH above 6 with lime or dolomite. A usual dose is 1 to 2 bags of Muriate of potash 0 0 60 per hectare, split between transplanting and the first side dress.
- Muriate of potash 0 0 60
- Sulfate of potash 0 0 50
- Complete 14 14 14
Sold here with potassium: Atlas Muriate of Potash (MOP) by Atlas Fertilizer (0 0 60), Simplot Sulfate 0 0 50 by Nutranta, Potassium Nitrate by Parafield (13 0 46) and Qrop Mix Production 14 0 23 plus 13 Cao by Farmtech Agriland (14 0 23 with 9.3 percent calcium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to potash fertilizer, and the page on potassium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, include potash in the basal fertilizer and one side dressing. Keep organic matter up with compost, manure or crop residues.
Phosphorus deficiency in cabbage
The main sign is a strong slowdown in growth, often with no change in leaf color or shape. So it is easy to miss. Some plants show pink or purple tints on the leaves, yellowing leaf edges and weak roots. You see it most at this stage: seedling and early growth after transplanting.
Why phosphorus deficiency happens in repolyo
Acid or calcareous soils, iron rich soils that hold phosphorus, low organic matter, cold or waterlogged soil and weak roots.
How to tell it apart
Root problems such as clubroot or nematodes also stunt plants. Pull a few plants and check the roots. To be sure, soil test for available phosphorus and pH.
What to apply for phosphorus deficiency
Apply phosphorus fertilizer near the roots based on the soil test. Use single superphosphate for a quick correction and rock phosphate or bone meal for the long term. Uptake is best near pH 6.2 to 7.0. A usual basal dose is 4 to 6 bags of Complete 14 14 14 per hectare, about 10 grams a hill, mixed into the soil at transplanting.
- Ammonium phosphate 16 20 0
- Complete 14 14 14
- Single superphosphate
Sold here with phosphorus: Philphos 18 46 0 (Di Ammonium Phosphate), Atlas Super Gro (16 20 0) by Atlas Fertilizer, Amigo Planters Granular Single Super Phosphate by La Filipina (0 18 0 with 11 percent sulfur) and Triple Super Phosphate by Newman Chemicals (0 46 0). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to 16 20 0 fertilizer, and the page on phosphorus deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, use a phosphorus starter at transplanting and add compost.
Magnesium deficiency in cabbage
Older leaves turn yellow green between the veins, starting at the edge and moving to the midrib, then orange or red. Small veins also yellow while large veins stay green, and the areas between veins curl upward. Severely affected plants may have normal sized leaves but fail to head. You see it most at this stage: head formation.
Why magnesium deficiency happens in repolyo
Sandy or acid soils, soils rich in potassium, heavy potash fertilizer, and cold wet periods.
How to tell it apart
Nitrogen shortage yellows the whole leaf evenly. Potassium shortage gives a brown dead band on the edges. To be sure, soil test for magnesium and potassium, and a leaf tissue test.
What to apply for magnesium deficiency
Try magnesium sulfate in a band near the plants at about 80 kg per hectare. A foliar spray of magnesium sulfate gives faster relief. Do not apply magnesium and potassium fertilizer together. For quick help, spray Magnesium sulfate at 1 to 2 percent (160 to 320 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) two or three times, 10 to 14 days apart.
- Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)
- Dolomite
Sold here with magnesium: Dolomite by A6 Agrisource (24 percent calcium and 11 percent magnesium), Agsmart Kieserite Granule (20 percent sulfur and 16.3 percent magnesium), DDDD Planter's Choice Magnesium Sulphate Monohydrate by Modern Time (15.1 percent magnesium) and Zetryl MAG 9 by Zetryl Chem (9 percent magnesium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to complete fertilizer, and the page on magnesium deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, use dolomite on acid soil over the long term. Test the soil every two or three years. Lime acid soil with Dolomite rather than plain lime.
Sulfur deficiency in cabbage
Growth is slow and development delayed. Yellowing appears first on the younger leaves, which can become purplish, curl upward and turn brittle. Head formation is held back, and plants are more open to fungal attack. You see it most at this stage: early growth and head formation.
Why sulfur deficiency happens in repolyo
Acid or sandy soils where sulfate leaches, low organic matter, waterlogged soils, and fertilizer programs with no sulfur. Crucifers need a lot of sulfur.
How to tell it apart
Nitrogen shortage also slows growth but starts on the older outer leaves. To be sure, soil test for sulfate and a leaf tissue test. In a soil test, less than 10 ppm of sulfate sulfur is low.
What to apply for sulfur deficiency
Use ammonium sulfate as part of the nitrogen, or other sulfur fertilizer. Try sulfur dust at about 25 kg per hectare on sulfur deficient soil, and gypsum on alkaline soil. Give it at planting or with the first side dress.
- Ammonium sulfate 21 0 0
- Gypsum
- Elemental sulfur
Sold here with sulfur: Crown Champion Ammonium Sulfate by Aqua Hydroponic Prime Ventures (21 0 0 with 24 percent sulfur), Philphos Gypsum (22.2 percent calcium and 17.4 percent sulfur), Harvester Sulphate of Potash by Universal Harvester (0 0 50 with 17.5 percent sulfur) and Agsmart Kieserite Granule (20 percent sulfur and 16.3 percent magnesium). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to ammonium sulfate fertilizer, and the page on sulfur deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, give some sulfur every crop and add organic matter. Test the soil every two or three years.
Molybdenum deficiency in cabbage
Leaves show a faint yellow green color all over. Young plants have small leaves that bend down with edges more toothed than usual. Older plants have long leaves that bend down. Plants grow loose and head formation is held back. In patches of a field, leaf edges may scorch. You see it most at this stage: seedling to early heading.
Why molybdenum deficiency happens in repolyo
Acid soils, especially pH 5.5 or lower, sandy soils and low organic matter.
How to tell it apart
Looks like nitrogen shortage, and patches in the field are typical. A test spray on a few plants tells them apart. To be sure, soil pH test and leaf tissue test. Spray a few plants with sodium molybdate. If the new growth turns greener and normal, molybdenum was short.
What to apply for molybdenum deficiency
Mix about 50 grams of sodium molybdate in 100 liters of water. Spray it on the leaves, or pour 150 ml at the base of each plant. For the next crop, mix about 1 kg sodium molybdate per hectare with the fertilizer, or water the seedbed with 40 grams in 50 liters per 10 square meters one to two weeks before transplanting. Spray Sodium molybdate at 0.05 to 0.1 percent (8 to 16 grams in a 16 liter sprayer) once or twice on young plants.
- Sodium molybdate
- Ammonium molybdate
- Agricultural lime
- Dolomite
Sold here with molybdenum: Tierramino Molybdenum by Unilox Far East Resources (16 percent molybdenum) and YaraVita Teprosyn Mo (0 15 0 with 15.3 percent molybdenum). Check the FPA registration on the bag and follow the label rate. For the how and when, see our guide to foliar fertilizer, and the page on molybdenum deficiency in every crop.
To keep it away, lime acid soils to about pH 6. Liming takes months to work, so plan ahead. Test the soil every two or three years.
A soil test is the surest check for any cabbage nutrient deficiency. Before you buy, ask your Municipal Agriculture Office where to send a soil sample. The DA regional soil laboratories test soil, and the result says how much of each fertilizer your repolyo needs. That saves money, because extra fertilizer is money lost.
Open the Nutrient Deficiency Finder, pick repolyo, say where the leaves changed first and what you see, and get the fertilizers sold here that fix it.
- Anee, the smart farm technician, reads a photo of the leaf
- The cropping calendar dates every fertilizer application of your season
Cabbage nutrient deficiency questions
Why are my repolyo leaves turning yellow?
What fertilizer fixes nitrogen deficiency in cabbage?
What fertilizer fixes boron deficiency in cabbage?
What fertilizer fixes calcium deficiency in cabbage?
How do I know which nutrient my repolyo lacks?
- Yara UK: Nitrogen deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Boron deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Calcium deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Potassium deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Phosphorus deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Magnesium deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Sulfur deficiency in cabbage
- Yara UK: Molybdenum deficiency in cabbage
- NSW DPI Agfact AC.4: Molybdenum deficiency in plants
Find the missing nutrient and fix it
With Libre + Anee, read the whole guide: how to tell the deficiency from look alikes, how to be sure, what to apply, and the fertilizers sold here that supply it.
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