20 JULY 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 59Kale of the century
I
GAVE the postman quite a fright
when I opened the door to him
while completely naked. However,
the post-related shock was all
mine, when I opened what I thought
were packets of kale seeds only to
discover the parcel (sent a week ago)
was filled with perennial kale cuttings.
They were a gift from Steph Hafferty,
organic no-dig gardener and author of
The Creative Kitchen, an inspirational
cookbook, as well as No Dig Organic
Home and Garden (winner of the Peter
Seabrook Practical Gardening Book
of the Year in 2017). Back in the spring,
I’d heard her talk about Perennial Kale
‘Taunton Deane’ and wanted to try this
heirloom variety for myself.
Perennial kales and other long-lived
brassicas are an interesting bunch.
There’s Jersey cabbage (aka walking stick
kale) that grows to head-height; ‘Nine
Star Perennial’ broccoli that produces
cauliflower-like white heads in spring;A delivery of perennial kale cuttings prompts Toby
to chew over the allure of this resilient heirloom fancy“I would like to
use the kale as an
edible parasol!”
and purple and white sprouting, which
are conventionally grown as annuals but,
if picked regularly and prevented from
flowering, happily last for three seasons.
My interest in perennial kale was
piqued during a recent trip to Ethiopia,
where a type of walking stick kale is
used as a cover crop to shade tomatoes
and chilli peppers from the sub-Saharan
heat. I wanted to try the same trick here
by using the kale as an edible parasol
over salads and spinach that become
stringy in full summer sunshine.
Perennial Kale ‘Taunton Deane’ is just
the plant for the job and, uniquely, it is
flower-free so it lasts for up to six years,
eventually growing into a vegetable theKeep brassicas at their best
ale of the century
size and shape of a modest palm tree- productive as well as pretty. The young
shoots that flush from the branches in
spring and autumn are the edible parts
and, as with other brassicas, they make
excellent cuttings.
Propagating brassicas in this way
is a largely forgotten practice, but it
works a treat – as evidenced by my
kale that’s already rooting, even after
a week in ‘consignment confinement’.
As a gardener who likes to share and
save money, I’m now wondering if taking
cuttings from all cabbages is a technique
that’s worth bringing back?
You can read Steph Hafferty’s blog
at nodighome.com.
BRASSICAS thrive in alkaline soil, so it’s well worth
checking the pH before planting. While garden lime
will dramatically increase the pH, a mulch of spent
mushroom compost or recycled green-waste
compost from the council can tweak and maintain
alkalinity. Cabbage whites are the main enemy of
brassicas. Fleece covers will keep them at bay, as will
regular picking by hand. Some damage is inevitable, but- come autumn, when winter brassicas have a growth spurt –
even the most tatty will recover. On windy sites, remember to stake tall types
such as perennial kale and Brussels sprouts to prevent them blowing over.
All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited
Perennial Kale ‘Taunton Deane’
growing in Steph’s garden in April:
a useful plant for cropping through
the hungry gapWalking stick kale, which may grow
to head-height, can be used to shade
other veg under its protective canopyTo b y’s top tip
Steph HaffertyKeep brassicas at their best
nodighome.com.brassicas. Fleece covers will keep them at bay, as will
regular picking by hand. Some damage is inevitable, but- come autumn, when winter brassicas have a growth spurt –
even the most tatty will recover. On windy sites, remember to stake tall types
Supporting taller Perennial
Kale ‘Taunton Deane’Cuttings will strike into pots of
moist compost – put one cutting
into each 3in (8cm) pot and keep in
a light but shady spot, until plants
start to grow. They also root in water
(useful if they have been left in the
post!), and they are ready for potting
when roots are an inch or two long.
Plant when the roots appear through
the drainage holes in the base.Writer Steph Haff erty,
who has treated me
to some of the leafy
treats in her garden!Top inset: Charles Dowding
Main image: Steph HaffertyYoung ‘Taunton Deane’
planted out in JanuaryToby Buckland
TI Media