14 Apr 2013

garden ramble: new kale and tatsoi

Tatsoi on the left, kale on the right

So I said the vegie garden would be dormant - fallow - over the winter, but I could not resist.

I wanted some new curly kale, which grows well in the winter and is a good leafy green to cook and eat. I also bought a couple of tatsoi plants to try - the man I bought my beautiful seedlings from, at the Bellerive farmers market, said I could pick the leaves young and small and enjoy them as a salad green (though I'm not sure how many salads I'll enjoy during a Hobart winter) or let them get bigger and cook with them. So here's to new experiences in the vegie garden and kitchen.

What cold-weather crops are you growing? And have you ever grown or cooked tatsoi?

The kale, planted. The plastic grid things (I don't know what they are - mum gave them to me) are an attempt to keep the scruffing blackbirds at bay. I have since positioned two pots of pyrethrum nearby to ward off the white cabbage moth

6 comments:

  1. Hi e, your last post was truly terrifying, glad you have a good news kale story to add to it. All the best for the winter veg. I have Tuscan kale, broccoli, red chard and lettuce in, and will be adding garlic, broad beans and spinach this week. And all the work of pulling out beans and tomatoes ahead of me. Lucky the weather is gorgeous!

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    1. hi jo, My garlic seller at the market told me to wait til the shortest day (june or july?) - but you are doing it already! agh! I am going to try garlic in pots this time to avoid getting it waterlogged. good luck with your growing, too!

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    2. My garlic has always grown better planted in April - I have tried it both ways. Steve Solomon recommends planting now. It seems that getting a bit of growth on before the really cold weather means that they grow bigger. Perhaps you could do two pots and experiment?

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    3. that sounds logical about getting it started before the really cold weather hits. i was going to plant it now anyway! thanks jo.

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  2. Looks like a productive time in your garden e. I am growing broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, cabbage, kale, garlic and Chinese cabbage. But...it is still 30 degrees here and the winter vegetables are rather confused I think?

    Happy gardening :)

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    1. oh jane, your cruciferous collection is marvellous :-) 30 degree days are long gone here! happy gardenign to you too.

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