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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: grannyjanny on August 20, 2009, 18:30:29

Title: Is kale safe?
Post by: grannyjanny on August 20, 2009, 18:30:29
I've just been reading about kale on wikipedia & it says pigeons don't bother with it. Is this true? If so I will have some extra room in the brassica cage.
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: saddad on August 20, 2009, 18:32:56
I find it depends on how much other stuff they can find... it's low on the list but they will strip it if there's nothing else available...  :-X
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: Kea on August 20, 2009, 18:35:17
Yes i read the thing about the cabbage white not bothering with it..... :(

i've got it covered now and carefully nursing it back from almost only stalks!
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: Digeroo on August 20, 2009, 18:37:42
I have some lovely redbor kale, certainly not going to risk it.   They seem to like cabbages best.  At home we have lots of clover in the lawn and they seem to be going for that in preference to anything
else.  

Certainly managed to squish several butterflies under the netting.
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: Twoflower on August 20, 2009, 18:41:32
i caught a pigeon sat on mine last winter eating it. ::)
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: Pescador on August 20, 2009, 19:32:12
Both pigeons and cabbage white love it..... they've got good taste
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: grannyjanny on August 20, 2009, 19:34:26
I will not take any notice of wikipedia then Thanks everyone.
Diggeroo I also read (not on wiki) that clover in the compost bin really heats it up. Do you compost your grass cuttings & have you noticed if it does get hot. One of my neighbours has a lot of clover in her lawn & if it doesn't make any difference I won't bother asking her for it.
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: Pescador on August 20, 2009, 19:47:13
Grass clippings will heat up beautifully, clover or no.

I used to have one separate compost heap of one cubic meter that was filled with only grass cuttings and shredded paper, in a ratio 2:1, every week for 6 weeks in the summer.

By November beautiful compost, about 3/4 bin full. 
Title: Re: Is kale safe?
Post by: cornykev on August 20, 2009, 19:56:05
I've sown black kale and it says that the white flies don't bother with it because of the different colour,  :-\ but a sky rat will nibble on anything it pleases.     ;D ;D ;D