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Post by oxbowfarm on Mar 19, 2013 13:59:35 GMT -5
Took a flyer on some Sea Kale seed from Fedco this year. Got excited about it from the mentions in John Seymour's books and the Victoran Kitchen Gardener (thanks Joe).
Any advice on starting it? I read somewhere you had to scarify the seeds somehow, have to find that link again.
Not sure if it will overwinter or over-summer here, but I wanted to try it.
Looking for any and all Sea Kale anecdotes. Or any other Crambe species for that matter. I saw that Adaptive had a different one for sale.
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Post by hortusbrambonii on Mar 19, 2013 15:19:00 GMT -5
There is another Crambe species that's grown as a ornamental, there's one in my parents' garden. I think it's C. cordifolia. i have no idea if that one has any gastronomic uses at all...
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Post by steev on Mar 19, 2013 15:33:46 GMT -5
Thomas Jefferson was apparently fond of it.
I've potted some seeds, so we'll see what happens. The seeds have a thick, corky coat; I filed one side with a nail file to reduce the barrier; seemed like the embryo was only half or one-third of the seed's diameter.
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Post by raymondo on Mar 19, 2013 15:44:49 GMT -5
I cracked the seed cases and removed the actual seed before sowing. I did this with finger nails and a small pair of scissors. These seeds germinated without a problem. I also sowed some still in their tough casing. These didn't germinate, at least not in the month I gave them. Snails and slugs wiped out the plants I put in the garden. May have been a bad year.
According to Cornucopia II by Facciola, C. cordifolia is edible, both leaves and root.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Mar 19, 2013 19:09:46 GMT -5
First order of business would be to get some plants to make it to full sized. I will remove them from the cork.
Anyone have any experience forcing/blanching this plant? I'm fairly certain that those lovely terra cotta forcing pots don't exist in this country. I'm envisioning cutting the bottom off a 5 gallon bucket to simulate one on the cheap.
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Post by steev on Mar 19, 2013 20:05:33 GMT -5
I suspect you'd want to just invert a 5-gallon, black plastic pot over them to blanch the Spring shoots; maybe two with the drain holes offset to exclude light. My understanding is that it's like asparagus, sprouting when the soil warms, so it's a matter of reducing bitterness more than causing growth. Of course, if you grew them in pots, during Winter you might move them into a warmer place to force, while still blanching. It occurs to me that with some supports (willow switches?) in the pots, one might be able to blanch with a trash-bag. Just spit-balling, here, and if it turns out not to be tasty, all bets are off!
I guess I have to try the de-corked option as well.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Mar 20, 2013 6:43:22 GMT -5
Well, watching the Victorian Kitchen Garden, they went a few steps further. They'd put these forcing pots over the crown of the plant (but a sea kale crown is called a "thong"?), then pile fresh horse manure all around it to warm the whole thing up and force the growth. The pot was open on bottom and top and they had a little separate lid so you could check the progress. Here's an example but at £45.00 I can't imagine hardly anyone piles manure around them anymore. |
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Post by 12540dumont on Mar 20, 2013 11:40:27 GMT -5
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Post by logrus9 on Mar 21, 2013 8:10:26 GMT -5
Maybe some compost with fresh chicken manure would work to heat things up.
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bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Post by bertiefox on Mar 21, 2013 12:05:36 GMT -5
I got some seed last year and had no difficulties with germination at all. I just soaked the seed for 24 hours before sowing in a pot, and then pricked on separately as soon as it came through. I guess the young plants are a bit fragile as the ones I planted out are no longer in evidence (though I guess they might re-emerge from the sod at some stage!) The only one I've still got is in the bed of the polytunnel.
You need to grow them on for at least a year before trying to force them and blanch them in the spring. I did this successfully back in England some years ago, but though the shoots are good eating, I really wondered if it was worth the effort. Probably depends on the sauce you use with it. When things like asparagus are so easy and productive, it really doesn't cut the mustard, though it's always good to grow something different.
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Post by starry on Jul 17, 2013 13:40:33 GMT -5
I have had the best luck in germinating seeds from Bountiful Gardens.
I removed the cork outer layer by crushing them lightly with a cutting board.
They also have edible broccoli style flowers that apparently taste just like broccoli
There are 2 varieties I have ordered. Plain 'sea kale' and 'lily white'.
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Post by steev on Jul 17, 2013 23:01:05 GMT -5
My seakale plants seem to have kicked the bucket; next year...
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Post by billw on Jul 17, 2013 23:42:50 GMT -5
Ours turned out to be a favorite treat for the geese, which ate them down to nubs before I noticed, but they appear to be bouncing back just fine.
As far as I can tell, there is little difference between unnamed seakale and the cultivar Lilly White.
Another crop that likes it cool and wet.
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Post by steev on Jul 18, 2013 1:27:20 GMT -5
Cool and wet, eh? So not my farm. Nevertheless, I'll try again, if I have any seed. If it sucks in geese, could be a good "trap" crop for me.
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Post by ottawagardener on Jul 18, 2013 9:17:36 GMT -5
I've germinated seeds several times by sticking them in garden soil in summer. No nicking or anything. Easy peasy. This year I plan on starting a LOT for sale next. You can propagate by cuttings too.
The difference from Unnamed seakale and cultivar is that the unnamed is purplish in colour. Traditionally shoots were used so maybe the colour/texture of Lilywhite is preferred.
Crambe cordifolia is also eaten in some places (mentioned above in the thread). Steev C. cordifolia is more 'vigorous' if you need a goose trap.
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