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Tell me about kale
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Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 05 2:36 pm    Post subject: Tell me about kale Reply with quote
    

Never grown it nor to my knowledge eaten it, but have a packet of seed for a common or garden (!) green variety and hope to sow later in the summer for a winter crop.

Any tips, anecdotes, thoughts, warnings, recipes, ideas?

Will the chickens like the leftover bits?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 05 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A great brassica, I like it a lot good and tasty and strong enough to be used in all types of recipes but not too strong. No ideas on growing though as I have a pair of brassica exterminating pigeons living in my back garden

Northern_Lad



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 05 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Try asking gill_didsbury - he's got a packet of the stuff, but you may have to adjust the months a bit, he's living upside-down at the mo.

Gervase



Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 05 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Lovely crisp leaf - very good finely shredded and stir fried, but can be boiled to death, steamed, braised or cooked like any other cabbage.
Stronger flavoured than most cabbages, and all the better for it.
Go for it!

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 05 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Definitely grow some kale - if you keep picking it, the leaves aren't too strong (although they can overpower a stir-fry if you aren't too careful). It marries really well with bacon and/or feta cheese.

Chickens like it too. Particularly the flower heads when it finally goes to seed.

Guest






PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

you need to start it about now for next winter.

Mine is just pricked out, and will be transplanted in July.

It needs a long grwoing season.

Very useful as you can pick one or two leaves as you need them , and not a whole huge cabbage !
We like the standard green kale and the posh Nero di Toscano dark one.
both are great stir fried, or boiled, or in soups.

gavin



Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Leeds, W Yorks
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Excellent vegetable - agreed! Goes really well with smoked fish too. Looks good too - I like the red and black kales .

And pretty easy to grow - it's a bit more robust and resilient than most brassicas; none of the fussiness of caulis and calabrese. It should grow into pretty large plants, so I'd space them quite widely.

Kale is also more resistant to club-root, and less tasty for slugs - but mine does get whitefly; worth a spray with derris as soon as the whitefly appears, or they can really take over. They don't do much damage, but the black mould is a bit unsightly and yucky.

All best - and enjoy! Gavin

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I grew a dwarf variety last year. 8 - 10 plants were plenty for us and the leaves stayed small and tender. I didn't start them off until August/September either, which is much better for me as there isn't so much to do in the veg garden then.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Is cavolo nero a kale or a cabbage?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A kale if it's the same stuff I tried once

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 05 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ahh, in that case I'm growing kale too

guest
Guest





PostPosted: Thu May 19, 05 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've been at the coast a few times and noticed something that looks very kale-like...do you think this could be sea kale? Is there anything poisonous that it could be mistaken for?
ross

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 05 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Is that fat hen ross? Did you get it to germinate? I got 0%

guest
Guest





PostPosted: Thu May 19, 05 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

yes tahir- it's me. I did try some fat hen seeds just after I received them but similarly got no germination. am going to try again now that it's warmer and will let you know.
ross.

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 05 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cab says sea kale is quite rare - he mentions sea beet in his Wild Foods for May (the last one) but this pic doesn't look very kale like. Perhaps you're lucky! But by the sounds of it you shouldn't be picking

Tahir, re fat hen...I have four similar looking seedlings with slight reddish tinge, in my tray of seeds. They're very tiny yet though so we'll have to see. I might sow the rest this weekend.

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