Skip to Left navigation Skip to Main content Skip to Footer

University of Minnesota Extension
www.extension.umn.edu
612-624-1222

Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Vegetable > Broccoli > No head develops

Print Icon Email Icon Share Icon

Broccoli > Head > No head develops

1 of 2
  • Image: Club Root 1
  • Image: Club Root 2
  • Image: Club Root 3

Club Root
Plasmodiophora brassicae

  • Older plants fail to develop a head (blindness)
  • Leaves turn pale yellow, wilt during hot, sunny days, and recover at night
  • Young plants may die
  • Roots are swollen in to large spindle shaped tumor like galls
  • Common in wet soils with a low pH (acidic)
  • More information on Club Root
2 of 2
  • Image: Cutworms 1
  • Image: Cutworms 2

Cutworms (climbing and non-climbing)

  • Can cause “blindness”, in which no head develops
  • Plant is cut off at or just below the soil surface
  • Can chew holes in leaves (spring and early summer)
  • Cutworms are grayish or brownish and up to 2 inches long; typically found during day hiding in soil
  • Damage occurs during spring and summer
  • More information on Cutworms

Don't see what you're looking for?