Cavolo Nero - advice please

[DORSETFOODIE]

Have large packet of seeds of the Italian Black Cabbage, I'm fairly new to growing my own and haven't tried these before, any good tips for growing in the garden - we are in Dorset. Can I plant direct into the soil and cover til after last frost -might've got away with it now usually late April/beg May or better in modules?

Can you grow as a sprouting seed for trendy salads? Might give it a go anway.

Hope everyone is having the chance to enjoy the sunshine that we are having today and getting out in the garden.

Thanks,
Dorsetfoodie

[northepaul]

It might not be much help but I am also growing this but not until around mid to late summer so its ready to feed us through the winter.
I am sure you could put it straight in the ground, but as its a large plant, I would have thought it would be best to start it in modules, that way you can control the amount of plants you have, and also give it a good start (away from catapillers and pigeons).

I am sure someone will be along with much more helpful advice soon

[taff]

you can grow it for baby leaves and plant now, direct outside, protect the baby plants from anything that wants to eat them.

[Lovage]

I always raise in pots or modules and plant out about July
It's very hardy and wasn't bothered by the snow
Just pulled my last plants out - they made some wonderful shoots like PSB

I would be careful about using the seed for sprouting - they may have been treated with fungicide

[Flummery]

I grow it several times a year - modules are fine, the seeds are reasonable in size so you can sow separately if you're a tightwad! I put them in in spring for summer crops, summer for autumn/winter and I actually sowed some too late last autumn and stuck them in the greenhouse border over winter. We're eating them now and very gorgeous they are too. Must get them eaten up before I stick the toms in there permanently!

[DORSETFOODIE]

Thank you all for your advice, I think I might try them direct into the ground under my fleece cloche, that way I can grow some for small leaves, thin to leave for a few bigger plants, it'll keep off the pigeons + butterflies and any late frost hopefully, 'til they are big enough to fend for themselves a bit. I'll put a couple in modules as a back up. I bet the slugs get their teeth in though! Thanks for the tip about the fungicide Lovage, hadn't thought of that I'll check with the packet and perhaps the company before trying to sprout any.

Thanks guys - happy sowing

[Jeanied]

Mine were sown in situ after the potatoes were lifted last summer- they went through everything the winter had to offer this year - and were picked and used several times over that period - now they are due for the chop as they have just started flowering!!

[trish60]

I saved my own seed last year & recently planted a trayful to check if they were viable before adding them to the seed parcel.
They all came up so I used some for salads & grew the others on.
As I only have limited space I only grow 2 plants & find that`s fine for 2 of us as it just keeps growing upwards & you don`t need a lot of it for a meal.
I`ve got some seed soaking at the moment as I never thought of sprouting it so I`ll let you know how I get on.

[Two_Sheds]

... it'll keep off the pigeons + butterflies ... 'til they are big enough to fend for themselves a bit.

Sadly, they will be attacked by pigeons, slugs and butterflies all their life. If you want any to eat, you must keep them netted

[DORSETFOODIE]

Oh I should've known, anything I like eating means everything else likes eating it too. I want fuss free growing! No pain, no gain I guess. Thanks for the advice.

[northepaul]

Oh I should've known, anything I like eating means everything else likes eating it too. I want fuss free growing! No pain, no gain I guess. Thanks for the advice.

I dont think, in reality, there's such a thing as fuss free growing!

[DORSETFOODIE]

Thanks, northepaul, I did say I was new to growing my own, obviously very green!! Hopefully it'll include my fingers. Thanks I'll see how I get on, watch this space.

[trish60]

Sadly, they will be attacked by pigeons, slugs and butterflies all their life. If you want any to eat, you must keep them netted

I haven`t found them too bad. Picked off the occasional caterpillar but not nearly as bad as the PSB which was completely decimated.

[northepaul]

Thanks, northepaul, I did say I was new to growing my own, obviously very green!! Hopefully it'll include my fingers. Thanks I'll see how I get on, watch this space.

If its any consolation, kale is supposed to be one of the easist brassicas to grow, and I am relatively new too, and wet behind the ears (no sarcy comments anyone! )
It would be insteresting to see how they go maybe compare notes!!

[northepaul]

I haven`t found them too bad. Picked off the occasional caterpillar but not nearly as bad as the PSB which was completely decimated.

Oh no, I was planning on growing PSB too!