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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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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??

Quote from: carrot-cruncher on September 21, 2007, 01:49:17
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.

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.. ???

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!

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