A Perennial Kale

[valley ranch]

We have kale seed, want to get some growing, I'm sure I'd like it.


Jason, Do you keep them growing inside or do they, kale, just sleep? Is that a type of kale you're showing there?

Richard

 

[jasonvivier]

We have kale seed, want to get some growing, I'm sure I'd like it.


Jason, Do you keep them growing inside or do they, kale, just sleep? Is that a type of kale you're showing there?

Richard

Richard they don't go dormant they just keep on growing. I eat off of them all year. And the picture I posted is a Kosmic Kale cutting I took this year.

 

[jasonvivier]

We have kale seed, want to get some growing, I'm sure I'd like it.


Jason, Do you keep them growing inside or do they, kale, just sleep? Is that a type of kale you're showing there?

Richard

I also bring in a few of my Tuscano, (called dinosaur kale) in every year. They only survive like that for two years but when they get set back out in the spring I have four foot tall dinosaur kale in my front yard in NH. I rare sight lol

 

[flowerweaver]

Most kale overwinters and is perennial where I live, but it gets ratty looking after the bugs chew on it once it warms up. Maybe I should be taking spring cuttings and growing them in the cool of the house until fall, just like I overwinter cuttings of my coleus plants in the fall.

 

[jasonvivier]

Most kale overwinters and is perennial where I live, but it gets ratty looking after the bugs chew on it once it warms up. Maybe I should be taking spring cuttings and growing them in the cool of the house until fall, just like I overwinter cuttings of my coleus plants in the fall.

Yeah it is a requirement up here for many plants. :/ So moving...

 

[flowerweaver]

BTW, welcome to the forum, @jasonvivier . I'm not sure there is a perfect place to garden, there are always trade offs. Here it is drought, heat, and hungry field mice.

 

[hoodat]

Little late on this thread but I find kale, especially in hot weather, too bitter for my taste. I only grow some for my rabbits who prefer their greens bitter.
Collards have the same food value as kale and are a lot tastier and more tender.

 

[digitS']

I should say that I am not growing either Italian or Russian kale this year. Only Scots kale and Portuguese kale. I'm not too interested in the Italian ( Dinosaur) kale after 2 tries.

The Brassica napus (Russian kale) just had a huge problem with aphids, even more than the Brussels sprouts, and that's saying something.

I have South Seas Chinese kale again this year . It is a large leaf Guy Lon. Supposed to be a warm season variety and I think it performed that way for me the one time I tried it. It is a Brassica oleracea kale.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

Guy Lon, sometimes listed in seed catalogues as Kailaan, is one of the most dependable of Chinese greens. I grow it year round, although it tends toward woody shoots in hot weather.
The seed is easily saved and I recommend gardeners save seed from their best plants. In a few seasons you will have a variety that does well in your own garden.

 

[Jeff Lubell]

I know this is a late response to an old post but here we go anyhow. I grow three varieties of perennial kale; Kosmic Kale, Perennial Tree Collards (not perennial in my zone), and Sea Kale. I have to say that I am always surprised when someone say's they are not sure about growing a perennial variety of a plant. If it were up to me I would grow only perennial varieties of plants as they are more stable once established and are better adapted meaning they require less work.

Hi @jasonvivier , Really Interesting post. I am just over the border in VT (zone 4b). I grow sea kale, scorzonera, good King Henry and am planning to start hablitzia. I bought a kosmic kale but was thinking of growing it in a large pot and overwintering in the garage but maybe I'll put it in the ground instead.

My main question though is what you see as the benefit of a perennial kale as opposed to starting seeds in the summer, planting in the fall and overwintering in the garden. Do ghe perennials that overwinter grow larger faster than ordinary kale that has overwintered? Yes you avoid having to start new plants but if you're having to root cuttings anyway, ...

Now if they really are immune to cabbage worms then that's an obvious benefit.

You've piqued my curiosity re perennial tree collards. I'm going to have to look into it.