Topic: 2007 Walking Stick Cabbage

[Garden Manager]

Hre is a photo of my attempt to grow walking stick cabbage. The photo is of my talllest 2 plants. They are 165cm or 5' 5" tall.

Looking forward to seeing other people's efforts

[Lauren S]

Ahem...(showing ignorance now) :-[...Why are they called Walking Stick Cabbages?  ??? You'd have to be very tall to use those as walking sticks. More like crutches  :o


Lauren  ;D

[cambourne7]

i think you can leave the stalk to mature and use it to make walking sticks

[Rosyred]

Or are they just a good perch for the birds to get a better grip to eat all the cabbage.

[Garden Manager]

Appearances can be deceptive. The stems of even a one year old plant are very woody - as I found when i cut mine down (I had about 9 originaly). I am guessing once dried the fleshy outer can be removed just leaving the woody core. It is this that can be made into a walking stick. I am 6' tall so even one of my shorter ones would make me a good walking stick - of the long 'dalesman' type that is ;D.

[cambourne7]

yes i think you need to leave it a second year.

If you google it i am sure you will see something intresting :)

[carrot-cruncher]

They are a speciality on the island of Jersey.   They feed the tops to cattle & then the stalks are used in place of firewood or some are dried out & polished and sold as walking sticks.   The walking stick itself is very light & strong so useful for everybody.

CC

ps.  I would love to grow a couple, where do you get the seeds from??

[Garden Manager]

They are a speciality on the island of Jersey.   They feed the tops to cattle & then the stalks are used in place of firewood or some are dried out & polished and sold as walking sticks.   The walking stick itself is very light & strong so useful for everybody.

CC

ps.  I would love to grow a couple, where do you get the seeds from??

Got mine from Thompson and Morgan Seeds. Well actualy they were part of a free veg seed offer from the Daily Mail, so i didnt buy them. I guess other seed companies do it as well but I have never looked.

PS if you or anyone else is interested in seed of the variety I grew, I have some to spare, if you want to sent me a PM with your details and how many you want. Purely on a first come first served basis mind.

[Andy H]

I sent one off to kenkew (i think) but he said it was hollowish type and no good for walking sticks, I wonder if it was dried wrong in my shed???

My current one has flowered for the 2nd time this year, think it is confused.. ???

[kenkew]

Usually 2 years is OK but if the seasons been a good one, even a one year stalk will make a stick. I'd like to have a go at making a stick from one, not used Kale sticks before.
 The one you sent me Andy I did actually put to some use. I cut it into sections and made things from it so it wasn't wasted.
 The 'lighter holder' in the pic is part of your stick!

[Andy H]

Nice one! glad some part of it was of use. ;D