couve tronchuda

[steveg1966]

couve tronchuda Has anybody grown this before I have just bought some seeds are they just like cabbage to grow

[steveg1966]

[aj]

They are more greens than cabbage, and are perennial so you only need to grow a few.

We have some at Ryton that are into their 3rd year now and are nearly as tall as me. Which is 5ft 5ish.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're cabbages, but with a looseleaf growth pattern. It's a Portugese type, and the original varieties aren't frost hardy, but it's been grown in Britain since Victorian times and I imagine it's gained the hardiness over the generations. I didn't know it was perennial. There are a lot of varieties, and the leaves vary quite a bit, but this is what the plants look like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CUiNkehjbo

There used to be a clip on it form 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden' on Youtube but it seems to have been taken down.

[gwynleg]

Interesting! Do they taste good and how do you stop the birds from eating them?

[Digeroo]

The bit from Victorian Kitchen garden seems to be here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt8KMWiq48M

Though the one that Harry Dobson shows has a large head.  While other sources suggest that it does not produce a head.

Any idea where to get the seeds I do like something different to try.

[steveg1966]

You can get them from http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/seeds/index.html along with a host of other interesting stuff

[Robert_Brenchley]

Net them to keep the birds off. Once they get to a decent size they're OK in the summer, but any winter brassica always needs netting, at least where I am. It varies from place to place and from year to year.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The bit from Victorian Kitchen garden seems to be here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt8KMWiq48M

Though the one that Harry Dobson shows has a large head.  While other sources suggest that it does not produce a head.

Any idea where to get the seeds I do like something different to try.

That's the one I was looking for. There are numerous varieties, and the size of the head probably varies.

[goodlife]

Is it similar to Asturian tree cabbage that is sold in Realseeds?

[Jeannine]

I have it growing now, it was last years planting, it has come through the winter very well. Info I have from this side is that is perennial for about three years after that it usually dies off.

XX Jeannine