Re: Flowering Kale and Flowering Cabbage

[Guest guest]

The Gardener's Handbook of Edible Plants by lind Creasy lists flowering

kale as a good cool season plant. It says flowering kale puts most flowers to

shame. It can be enjoyed in the early spring or fall, and does not do well in

warm weather. Flowering Kale willnot produce its brilliant red or purple

foliage unless it has some frost, and the flavor of the plant is improved by

frost. Generally eaten cooked, the tender new growth is good raw in salads.

The book has one sentence about flowering cabbage - it is tasty in salads.

Enjoy your flowering kale and cabbage - I would love to grow some - but we

rarely get a good frost here in southern CA.

Kate

I found and now have Flowering cabbage and Flowering Kale. Do any of you have

any knowledge about these? I'd like to be able to eat these, but I'm not sure

how edible they are.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/13/2004 10:48:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

salbud@... writes:

Does this mean it may not last through the summer unless I

keep it in the shade? Can anyone answer this? I can transplant now and put

them where the porch will shade them.

I have no idea about Kale but I know that normally if a plant starts growing

in the sun, it will not thrive in the shade. If it starts in the shade, it

will wither in the sun. Same goes for over or under watering. I guess plants

are like us and like what they're used to. Haven't you ever dragged a Ficus

(sp) tree around your house trying to find a place where it was " happy " and quit

shedding leaves? Then it eventually died anyway.

[Guest guest]

Any kale or cabbage, etc., will make flowers, but not as spectacular as the ones

called " flowering. " And they are edible at all stages, but once the plant starts

to get tall and make a flower, it usually gets more bitter in flavor at the same

time. I don't know if the sweetening action of the frost could overcome the

strong bitterness of the leaves at that point.

I forgot to mention that I have never seen the Red Russian Kale in stores.

They are starting to carry some other kinds, though, like one called Dino Kale.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Thank you Kate. Does this mean it may not last through the summer unless I

keep it in the shade? Can anyone answer this? I can transplant now and put

them where the porch will shade them.

Re: Flowering Kale and Flowering Cabbage

> The Gardener's Handbook of Edible Plants by lind Creasy lists

flowering kale as a good cool season plant. It says flowering kale puts

most flowers to shame. It can be enjoyed in the early spring or fall, and

does not do well in warm weather. Flowering Kale willnot produce its

brilliant red or purple foliage unless it has some frost, and the flavor of

the plant is improved by frost. Generally eaten cooked, the tender new

growth is good raw in salads. The book has one sentence about flowering

cabbage - it is tasty in salads.

>

> Enjoy your flowering kale and cabbage - I would love to grow some - but we

rarely get a good frost here in southern CA.

> Kate

[Guest guest]

During warm weather, it says they need partial shade (but this is a general

statement for 'greens'). How warm does it get where you are? I would think

the more northerly you are the better the chances are that they will survive the

summer. One of the sites suggested putting them in pots and moving them around

as needed for color or interest in the garden, patio, or even inside.

The following is from this site:

http://www.humeseeds.com/effkale.htm

Simple to grow, they are usually started from seed in late spring. Once the

seedlings are established, they are transplanted into a permanent planting spot.

They are not fussy about soil, as long as it is well drained. However, for

container or pot culture, they prefer a loose, friable, sandy loam soil with

peat moss added.

The following website has good information.

http://msucares.com/news/print/sgnews/sg03/sg031113.html

This is from the Michigan State University Ext. web site.

Height: 18 in Spread: 18 in

Type: annual

Foliage: Green, pink, purple, red, white

Comments: Flowering Kale is an unusual yet colorful

presence in the late summer and autumn garden. This frost

tolerant annual should be grown in full sun in a moist,

well-drained soil. The brightly colored (Vis. 3) foliage

can be various shades of pink (Vis. 1) to purple. The

plants are best when used for late season color. Plants that

overwinter may flower (Vis. 2) in the spring.

Propagation: Propagation is by seed. Chilling the seed

for 3 days prior to planting may help germination.