tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post5910367294780670050..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: More Brassicas - Kale and Beira TronchudaMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-45853172070253677072017-05-09T20:51:54.333-04:002017-05-09T20:51:54.333-04:00Beira Tronchuda may be of Portuguese origin - it&#...Beira Tronchuda may be of Portuguese origin - it's sort of a mix between kale/collard.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-50900644438466440802017-05-08T21:16:21.010-04:002017-05-08T21:16:21.010-04:00Well, we live and learn. Sounds like you'll ha...Well, we live and learn. Sounds like you'll have plenty of kale regardless. That second green I've never heard of. Sounds exotic. Jasonhttp://gardeninacity.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-20581496749262298252017-05-07T12:15:44.121-04:002017-05-07T12:15:44.121-04:00Snow!! Yikes! We have a frost advisory on for to...Snow!! Yikes! We have a frost advisory on for tonight, which is, of course, at the WORST possible time as both my plum and nectarine trees are in full bloom - ugh!!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-84998301913342359882017-05-07T12:14:28.622-04:002017-05-07T12:14:28.622-04:00I'm trying only 6 broccoli plants this year, b...I'm trying only 6 broccoli plants this year, but I'm only growing my favourite Arcadia this time round as the other varieties I've tried just don't seem to produce very well in comparison. I'm also spacing them out a bit more - those that had a bit more space last year seemed to have higher yields so I wanted to test out that theory this season.<br /><br />Aphids are such a pest, aren't they? I've not grown Mei Quing in a couple of years specifically because the aphids found them much too delectable. So far no aphid problems with kale, but we all know that you never say never!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-38697444524050822142017-05-07T12:12:24.947-04:002017-05-07T12:12:24.947-04:00With our recent weather (I swear it just snowed fo...With our recent weather (I swear it just snowed for a few minutes), this might be a great brassica year with the cool weather! But still ... those darn cabbage moths.Susiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10354350096358468967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-71345799522868796832017-05-07T12:05:30.915-04:002017-05-07T12:05:30.915-04:00I finally figured out that 2 Tronchuda Beira plant...I finally figured out that 2 Tronchuda Beira plants is plenty and the same goes for kale. It's difficult to have too much broccoli though. I've got 4 plants producing side shoots at the moment and 4 new plants coming along. Cabbage worms tend to not be a big problem for me but aphids are a year round challenge and are the reason I don't grow curly kales anymore - those curly leaves are just perfect places for aphids to proliferate.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812702328134261533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-31314460341586152582017-05-07T11:34:17.363-04:002017-05-07T11:34:17.363-04:00We don't seem to have much of an issue with wh...We don't seem to have much of an issue with whitefly, thank goodness - of course, now that I've said that I'll likely find some in the garden this year (which is what happened last year with tomato hornworms!)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-13212347873159199672017-05-07T11:32:59.841-04:002017-05-07T11:32:59.841-04:00I have yet to have kale bolt on me - as far as I c...I have yet to have kale bolt on me - as far as I can remember, anyhow - probably because it's not in ground long enough. Considering we do have rather hot weather for 2-3 months over the summer, I would say that it would be worth giving it a shot. Worst that can happen is they all bolt on you but the upside is you may find out that you can grow kale during part or all of the summer - a good thing to know going forward!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-32920897510346180362017-05-07T11:27:04.834-04:002017-05-07T11:27:04.834-04:00You know, Cavolo Nero was on my list this year but...You know, Cavolo Nero was on my list this year but it ended up slipping through the cracks when I put in my seed orders. I've been on the lookout whenever I come across a seed rack in a store but no luck so far. Perennial kale - now that would be something! I am very intrigued but some googling revealed that it may be difficult to source in North America. I'm looking forward seeing how you do it.<br /><br />Around here, cabbage whites are out all season long, unfortunately, so there really is no safe time to take that netting off (which I found out the hard way!).<br /><br />And thanks for the vinegar/water idea - my mom has always done that when cleaning store bought kale (for "disinfecting") but it never occurred to me that it would be a useful practice when dealing with buggy greens - I'll have to give it a try :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-84090264648139036522017-05-07T11:20:16.680-04:002017-05-07T11:20:16.680-04:00We love it too - even my daughter who has always b...We love it too - even my daughter who has always been rather picky when it comes to greens doesn't blink when I put it in soups or salads now...a real veggie victory!<br /><br />Pigeons aren't really an issue around here - the only time we see them is when we go to Toronto. From the damage they can do to crops, I'm hoping it stays that way!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-83059049074583038342017-05-06T18:35:24.474-04:002017-05-06T18:35:24.474-04:00We keep our brassicas covered too but with envirom...We keep our brassicas covered too but with enviromesh to try and keep the whitefly at bay too. As soon as the mesh is removed they seem to home in and they are very difficult to get rid of once they become established.Sue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-71781441041054110082017-05-06T16:44:55.078-04:002017-05-06T16:44:55.078-04:00It looks like your kale produced really well last ...It looks like your kale produced really well last year. All my kale starts died this year, but it looks like you harvested kale all summer so I'll go ahead and get more started.Phuonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07658691564062044986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-52652604522305431222017-05-06T13:44:18.494-04:002017-05-06T13:44:18.494-04:00I have heard of Tronchuda but grow all the others....I have heard of Tronchuda but grow all the others. Cavolo Nero is my favourite (and the pigeons) but I've been offered some Daubenton's Kale which is a perennial. Could be interesting. I always grow my brassicas in pots until there's room to plant them out after the broad beans. That way I seem to miss the butterfly egg laying season but I think I'll net the plants anyway this year. I always wash the leaves in water with vinegar added, it always washes off any pests that might be lurking. Carohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11317388242574705433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-84976476926347923832017-05-06T06:10:17.608-04:002017-05-06T06:10:17.608-04:00If I ask Mick to pick some veggies up for me from ...If I ask Mick to pick some veggies up for me from the greengrocers, he always comes home with kale, he loves it so it's something I use often. Netting is a real requirement when growing brassicas, isn't it? It's not just the butterflies here that attack the crop, pigeons are only too happy to share the bounty.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436932004631816039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-17664426020779371252017-05-05T20:58:06.757-04:002017-05-05T20:58:06.757-04:00So true - every green looks so tiny and sad when i...So true - every green looks so tiny and sad when it goes in the ground, but then it starts to pick up speed and next thing you know you can't keep up with the harvest!<br /><br />Yes - rain every 3 days, for a couple of hours preferably in the morning. Then sunshine and no humidity. Like THAT will ever happen! We can dream, though, can't we :)<br /><br />I hope you have a better weekend in the garden than us - rain and very cool temps here for the next few days, unfortunately. But then, it's full "spring" ahead :)Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-66658892874710115742017-05-05T20:52:48.496-04:002017-05-05T20:52:48.496-04:00That's true - sometimes it's hard to hold ...That's true - sometimes it's hard to hold back at the beginning of the season when you're planting tiny seeds in tiny pots. Greens are so deceiving - it's incredible how much you can harvest from one little plant.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-21110157819799070132017-05-05T20:49:39.191-04:002017-05-05T20:49:39.191-04:00Sounds like a winning recipe to me - everything ta...Sounds like a winning recipe to me - everything tastes better with bacon!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-1396776917425757122017-05-05T15:40:19.716-04:002017-05-05T15:40:19.716-04:00Everything looks so wimpy and sad when it first go...Everything looks so wimpy and sad when it first goes in, doesn't it? And yet, you can't keep a good Kale down!<br />Best of luck this year. I'm wishing for rains, perfectly spaced every three days a half inch. And lots of sun, but not too much heat. You know--PERFECT!<br />Ha. I'm delusional!<br />Have a terrific weekend in the garden!<br />:)Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-4367219286854666852017-05-05T15:37:40.239-04:002017-05-05T15:37:40.239-04:00Hi Nancy-I even got my hubby--a total kale hater--...Hi Nancy-I even got my hubby--a total kale hater--to eat it. Bacon, onions, garlic and a bit of chicken broth. YUM!<br />Try it.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-8185869334606385372017-05-05T14:05:04.401-04:002017-05-05T14:05:04.401-04:00I'm growing Tronchuda again this year, but lik...I'm growing Tronchuda again this year, but like you only a couple of plants. I use it much like I would any kale or collard green, including soup. I planted 6 or 8 plants one year and we were struggling to deal with it all. Trial and error is definitely the name of the game!Dave @ HappyAcreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03441364543023807886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-78583583030296664522017-05-05T13:14:04.877-04:002017-05-05T13:14:04.877-04:00Good luck! I am trying to learn to like kale. I ...Good luck! I am trying to learn to like kale. I planted a small amount and enjoying the smaller leaves in a salad. Need to get a little more planted. Nancy Cozy Thyme Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933769393226611441noreply@blogger.com