I am finally going to grow some kale

[Lisasbolt]

Of course i can find loads of info on growing kale for the UK, but here we will have horrible high temperatures into the 40's in July and August.
i don't want to waste my time or the space if the heat will just make it bolt, like so many other things in the summer.
Swiss chard, spinach, leeks etc you would buy over here as young seedling in september time. so do you think i should avoid planting some till around about that time.
Any advice on this new crop for me will be greatly appreciated

[Nicos]

We occasionally hit 40C ...usually mid 30's and our kale does fine.

We sow in modules around now and plant out once they are 4" high and fleece it to keep the crows out to start with...net accordingly later against butterflies and caterpillars.
We've hardly ever needed to water except when it's really hot for a long period of time.

We ate our last picking last week!

We've grown the curled black and green varieties- choosing Italian types which may be more suited to the hotter weather??

Let us know how you get on.

[bearded bloke]

I think you are close to Portuguese temperatures Lisa ? If so you should be able to get the below varieties from a local seed merchant ....

Penca de Chaves .. sow May to August, thin out/transplant July to October, harvest November to February

Tronchuda .... sow February to July, thin out/transplant March to November, harvest August to March

Pao de Acucar ... sow January to October (soil temperature 10-25 C) harvest after 90 days growth

[Zelenina]

I think Couve Galega Lisa is the most kale-like of the Portuguese cabbages. I sent a couple of packets of it to the VSP. Of the 20 kale varieties I grew in my garden this winter, it was the least winter hardy, although a few plants did survive. So it will probably like your hotter conditions. It says on the original packet that it can be sown at any time of year.

[Lisasbolt]

umm, have to find some seeds, the places around my small town do not have much varieties, a few days out i think

thanks for replies

[Nicos]

Can you get Cavlo Nero seeds?( or similar?)

I could pop a few in the post to you if you can't find what you are looking for.

[BertieFox]

I rather thought growing known hardy types from the UK would be a good idea, as we have temperatures as low as minus 20C here (some winters) in France. But I have found even things like Sutherland kale and most of the curly kales simply end up rotting during the winter. It is not the cold but the constant changes between wet and warm weather and the freezing cold which finishes them off. Our broad beans (autumn sown) went the same way.

I think the advice given above is the right way to go, by getting local varieties which are proven in your climate. I have had some success growing things under cover in a polytunnel though I generally find it better to sow very early in January and harvest fresh greens in March and April.

[Lisasbolt]

Nico's that if very kind of you, i have been around a few places today and can't find anything.
I will pm you

[datz]

I grow Cavalo nero and it's been fine here, surviving 36c in summer and -12 in winter. Only just dug them up as I needed to prep the bed for early potatoes. I do need to stake them though. The snow and severe frosts we get here would destroy them without staking.

[Zelenina]

PM me if you'd like some seeds of the Portuguese one I mentioned Lisa. It's in the VSP, but you're outside the UK so it's harder for you to get them from there.