Bertie just came in from outdoors. It's raining, because the cat is a little damp. It's still dark, and I haven't stuck my head out yet to see what the weather is, but a wet cat is a sure sign. It also seems warmer this morning than it has been recently.
We got a lot of gardening and yard work done this week. Walt planted radishes, chard, and snow peas in part of the garden plot that I tilled up a few days ago. The next plantings will be kale — this year I have two varieties, Dinosaur and Red Russian. A friend in California tells me Dinosaur kale (a.k.a. Lacinato) is the best kind. I've never planted it before. I brought the seeds back from North Carolina a few weeks ago.
I just opened the shutter on the kitchen window and sure enough, it is raining. And it has rained overnight, because there are big puddles on the road. The seeds Walt put in the ground this week will be happy.
Oh, and when I was tilling the garden plot a few days ago, I noticed some little collard green seedlings growing out there. At least I think they're collards. They must have grown from seeds I planted last November and then more or less forgot about.
I thought slugs and snails had eaten them all, but collard plants are very hardy. I dug them up and transplanted them into two window boxes for now. There are about a dozen of them altogether— plenty for the coming season. I'll transplant them back into the ground before too long.
So you had wet cat too!! Baron came in and leapt on the nice warm seat that I'd just vacated in order to open the door!!
ReplyDeleteDino Kale looks very similar to Black Tuscan, but with a flatter leaf...if it tastes anything like Black Tuscan, you will enjoy!!
Red Russian is one that Pauline and I have grown for ages....
It is by far the best tasting kale...it over winters very well and is now in full flush again, no sign of sprouting yet....which is a slight shame as the young sprouts are to die for!!
As are the Black Tuscan sprouts we are eating now along with the purple broccoli...
If Dino is anything like that, it will be worth letting them "go over"...
Both are "pick as you need" kales...and Red Russian is now a trendy, baby leaf...
Yes,they are nice and tender and easily eaten raw...but I feel they lack flavour.
Black Tuscan is very expensive in the shops in the UK... It can only be harvested by hand!!
I'm pretty sure that what I have can also be called Black Tuscan kale. Or cavolo nero in Italian.
DeleteI don't think so Ken...the illustrated leaves are too flat...but it could be a parent...
Deleteyours looks easier to clean, the incurved leaves of Black Tuscan make it very difficult...
especially with the clay dust around here...
I don't mind eating my peck of dirt...but not by the shovel full!!
We had steamed mixed sprouts for supper tonight...with the two mentioned above, we added collard, mibuna, red cabbage and rocket! And more to some, save rocket which will vanish beneath the "maggot"...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacinato_kale is what I looked at.
DeleteI had played with the idea of a raised box sort of vegetable garden but then the house sold faster than I thought it would .. I am moving South, gardening will probably be done in boxes .. I look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather was a Marine Sgt. He was tall and had this deep voice and was very tough ( looking ) .. he had the greenest thumb of anyone anybody ever knew :) He could throw a seed out the window and it would grow ! I want to be like that. :)
Raised beds are a very good way to organize a garden. You can put in rich, loose soil and not have to depend on the quality of the soil where you live. Our soil is heavy with clay and a lot of rocks in it. When it's wet, it is slippery and slick. When it's very dry, it's like concrete.
DeleteThose collards must like their French life ;-)
ReplyDeleteI think they do, E. We had such a mild winter, with very few mornings with temperatures as low as 30ºF. So they didn't freeze to death, and neither did we.
DeleteLacinato kale *is* the best kind, but Red Russian gets 'way fewer aphids and inchworms.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see how that works out here, Chris.
DeleteI bet these would be happy to grow in Florida, wouldn't they ? Warm and not too dry .. Do you saute your kale in garlic and oil and have it that way or soups or ? I buy spinach all the time but never kale.
ReplyDeleteI do sauté kale and garlic, or I simmer it like spinach or collard greens. I like spinach too.
Deleteyou have done a lot of garden work
ReplyDeleteLacinato kale is what's sold in stores here, generally. I've never heard it called Dinosaur.
ReplyDeleteSeeds of Change is a very good line of seeds, so I imagine you'll get good results.
I've only seen the classic curly-leaf green kale in supermarkets in Morehead City. And no kale at all in Saint-Aignan, except what I've grown.
ReplyDelete