couve tronchuda Has anybody grown this before I have just bought some seeds are they just like cabbage to grow
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.
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.
Interesting! Do they taste good and how do you stop the birds from eating them?
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.
You can get them from http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/seeds/index.html along with a host of other interesting stuff
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.
Quote from: Digeroo on March 02, 2013, 18:27:38
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.
Is it similar to Asturian tree cabbage that is sold in Realseeds?
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