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Post by oxbowfarm on Sept 5, 2011 4:35:50 GMT -5
AKA Black Palm Tree Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Tuscan Kale, Toscano, Lacinato.
I'm sure there are several strains of this type of kale going around. I got some Italian seed (Franchi) and the packet photo shows a much longer, narrower, more heavily savoyed leaf than the variety most commonly sold here in the US.
I'm looking into doing a side by side strain comparison of Lacinato, hoping to find some that are a little more vigorous/productive than the standard without sacrificing quality. Another idea is to possibly do a hybrid crossing if there are revealed to be a few strains that are significantly different. Especially if the Italian strain is as different as it looks from the US standard, maybe a cross of the two would give some hybrid vigor increased productivity?
Any recommendations for companies that might be carrying their own strain of Lacinato? I definitely want to try to avoid planting the same strain from two different sources if at all possible.
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Post by raymondo on Sept 5, 2011 4:56:24 GMT -5
Is this a popular item? It's all the rage here having been touted on all the cooking shows with this or that chef singing its praises and all its health giving benefits and so on.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Sept 5, 2011 5:08:15 GMT -5
It sells very well for me at the farmers market. I must say that all kale sells very well for me at the farmers market as long as it isn't totally ravaged by flea beetles. But Lacinato sells out first. My issue with it is that it is very very unproductive compared to other kales I grow, especially Russian/Portuguese varieties of Brassica napus kales. It definitely is normally a much darker green than many kale and collard varieties, can look almost black after a few frosts, the color is another thing that seems to vary from strain to strain. Supposedly it is extremely well flavored compared to other kales, I have not personally detected this but I may be something of a Philistine when it comes to varietal flavor subtlety. I know that having read Carol Deppe's Resilent Gardener she kind of blew me away by discussing all these strong "flavor class" differences between different types of zucchini/summer squash. She highly touted Costata Romanesca, Zephyr, Gold Rush F1, and said Early Straighneck had this strong objectionable flavor that was different than other summer squash. When I taste any one of these varieties they taste like .... summer squash. Just call me Timmy Numbtongue.
But if people want to believe that Lacinato is tastier, healthier, more scrumptiosly foodie gormet I will not stand in their way. I just want to grow a variety/strain of it that is productive so I don't have to grow an acre of it to meet the demand. The Fedco catalog listing for it states that it requires much more fertility than other kales. So I may try giving it a big nitrogen sidedress and see what effect that has.
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Post by raymondo on Sept 5, 2011 7:22:53 GMT -5
Personally, I'd go for a collard or cabbage over this particular kale for both flavour and texture.
I'm about to move a savoy cabbage, a Georgia Southern collard, a red cabbage and a Lacinato kale into the same bed to let them cross. I'll save seed from each separately and am very keen to see what the Lacinato offspring produce.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Sept 5, 2011 8:43:25 GMT -5
You reckless Brassica miscegenator Ray!
I myself have plans to cross my Italian strain Lacinato with Samantha savoy cabbage next spring. I'd also like to cross it with one or more of the Portuguese couve varieties Grunt sent me. But not all in the same bed! That's too kinky.
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Post by seedywen on Sept 5, 2011 10:14:35 GMT -5
In my quest for hardiest varieties of Kale, am growing out some Lacinato Kale, obtained in a trade last spring. If get a good crop of seed next year, will keep you in mind. Found the following blog link with photos interesting about a hardy variety kale trial. Noted the gardener grew Rainbow Lacinato, a cross between regular Lacinato and Redbor. matronofhusbandry.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/kale/ |
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 5, 2011 13:03:41 GMT -5
Oxbow, I have those same Kale seeds from Franchi. Wild Garden Seed also has their own laciinato. I bought those as well. Sandhill has Lacinato that did very well for me. The flea beetles were very busy at my place, so many choices...
I used up all the ones from Sandhill, but I still have 1/2 package of the Wild Garden Seeds.
I know, the fall garden should have been planted 3 weeks ago, but i"m knee deep in weeds and waist deep in weeds and shoulder high in dry beans and way over my head in corn and well everything.
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Post by homegrower on Feb 12, 2013 13:29:53 GMT -5
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Post by cortona on Feb 12, 2013 17:26:26 GMT -5
upss i'velost thistread, i have some seedsof my famili's strain of lacinato, somebody interested?
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Post by Leenstar on Feb 12, 2013 22:22:14 GMT -5
It is my preferred kale but its not quite as productive as the red russian I grow and it seems more plagued by the cabbage moth/worm.
Why is it a preferred variety? Small central ribs make for more even cooking of the leaves. The leaves are a nice dark green and have a more uniform shape and size which makes cooking with them easier.
My Lacinato was originally from seed savers but I have saved my own seed from overwintered varieties. As i said though, mine seems to be a particular treat for the cabbage moths.
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Post by 12540dumont on Feb 12, 2013 22:48:33 GMT -5
tomorrow, I'll go take photos of the kale in the garden.
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Post by steev on Feb 13, 2013 1:12:59 GMT -5
My kale sucks this year; I didn't put enough effort into it; I'm making do with coarse cabbage leaves.
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Post by 12540dumont on Feb 13, 2013 15:29:05 GMT -5
Lacinato - Franchi Attachments:
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Post by 12540dumont on Feb 13, 2013 15:33:31 GMT -5
Kale - Galega de Folhas Lisas - Franchi Attachments:
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Post by 12540dumont on Feb 13, 2013 15:35:46 GMT -5
Val Briggan Irish heirloom Brussel Splats. It's 70 here and every thing is bolting. These are my winter crops and I was planning on replanting them for spring. Obviously the splats hate California and want to know where their rain is. I want my damn parts to come from Italy so the tiller will run again! Attachments:
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