Are you sure the rot is from disease and not because of bugs?

Rodney

My issue this year with my dino kale was cabbage loopers. BT helped with that and I'm going to use Tulie fabric next year to keep the butterflies off of them.

I don't see bugs when I pull the plants.

Maybe a bug tunnelled into the stem and the opportunistic microorganisms took it from there?

There are several root rot organisms that attack brassicas. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungus. Another fungus Leptosphaeria maculans (dry rot) Phoma lingam (Black leg) another fungus that can cause havoc. Black rot Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris is a bacteria that that plugs the water conducting tissue of the plant causing severe wilt. Infection will lead to soft rot organisms. Phytophthora megasperma another fungus but one that thrives in warm wet conditions.
Fungi are difficult to control and all of these have an extended life span in the soil and are also carried on the seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: root/stem diseases of brassicas

Probably was cabbage root maggots. I get them bad in turnips and rutabaga. You could put carrots there or lettuce or spinach, anything but brassicas. I am sure there is no rot involved other than what the bugs did. I sometimes pull turnips that break in the middle.

Thank you for all the responses. Whatever the problem it is spreading from plant to plant. I am down to my last 5 plants. I was really hoping to enjoy my kale into late fall but at this rate my remaining plants will be affected within the week. I still cannot figure out for sure what is doing this.

Farmerdill, I am looking into all the possibilities you detailed. Thanks again

Companion plant your brassicas with herbs, marigolds, and carrot family. This is how I learned to grow them and my kale plant is bug free. I think the soil chemistry of these pants together helps deter bad bugs.

The rapid spreading suggests sclerotinia rot. Do you see a white fuzzy growth on the bottom of the stem where the rot is? Pull up a dying or dead plant and split the stem open where the rot is. Do you see any hard black things looking like mouse poop?

See it is mushy, no bugs no black things

Perhaps a bacterial soft rot such as Erwinia or Pseudomonas?

Yes after searching and searching I think it is a bacterial rot. I am trying to figure out how long this will persist in my soil, and any way to stop the disease process.

Spring sown kale really doesn't do well through hot summers--and you're zone 7, right? For fall/winter kale, I sow in mid July. And of course, rotate your crops.

Sunshinezone7 did you ever figure this out? my kale has it this year!

Ditto. has this been figured out? i think the heat wrakened the plants. just pulled out 4 plants that have given me so much kale I’d started soaking 4 more seeds to plant. Now I dont know if the soil is tainted, or what? sigh

Hi! So I have planted other things in that area and have had no problems :) I am sunshinezone7, just didn't log in that way this time.

Super! I’ll replant today. Thank you.