A Seed Saver's Garden

[digitS']

A few years ago, I found this information on the University of Maryland website. It creates a little clarity in a diverse Green(s) World.

Beyond Broccoli: A Brassica Series

Broccoli photo from University of Maryland Extension Welcome to “Beyond Broccoli”! In my next several monthly posts, I’m taking a deep dive into the genus Brassica and its place in our ve…

marylandgrows.umd.edu

And, here is the Brassica series: LINK

 

[heirloomgal]

A few years ago, I found this information on the University of Maryland website. It creates a little clarity in a diverse Green(s) World.

Beyond Broccoli: A Brassica Series

Broccoli photo from University of Maryland Extension Welcome to “Beyond Broccoli”! In my next several monthly posts, I’m taking a deep dive into the genus Brassica and its place in our ve…

marylandgrows.umd.edu

And, here is the Brassica series: LINK

Wow, I'm shocked to learn in that link that not all kales are the same species! Lacinato is not the same as Siberian, wow, wow. Clearly I do not know the brassica family! Thanks for forwarding this link, great info.

 

[heirloomgal]

I tend to think of mustards and oriental greens as being on a scale from peppery to mild. At the most peppery end are the mustards like Green Wave etc. At the mildest end would perhaps be tatsoi. Yukina savoy is inbetween but nearer the mild end. Mizuna is perhaps about similar or even milder and Tokyo bekana milder still. Komatsuna is very mild like tatsoi but perhaps a little sweeter.

Usually I grow a selection in rows as cut-and-come-again rather than as individual specimen plants which is what I think you have in mind. So the tastes contribute to a mixture, meaning that I can’t fully appreciate subtle differences in taste.

Some are more compact than others,all are rather quick growing and all are cool weather crops tending to go quickly to seed in warmer weather.

There’s an amazingly informative book by Joy Larkcom called ‘ Oriental Vegetables’. She, I think, pioneered the whole idea of growing greens as cut-and-come-again, which is not necessarily what you want. But the book is extremely interesting in helping to sort out the differences between so many oriental crops.

Ok, so it is more about variations in spiciness. I didn't realize that, given how few brassicas I grow, but I guess the same would apply to say, radishes. Those I have grown, to a small degree. It's so bewildering that vegetables which I would consider on the pungent side, like radishes, along with annual onions, are so vulnerable to pests. Whether above or below ground wow they attract pests. You'd think the less aromatic veggies like potatoes would be worse? And yet I never have problems with those.

 

[flowerbug]

... And yet I never have problems with those.

life is interesting.

 

[heirloomgal]

I need to be doing work writing up blurbs for the website, but I thought I'd procrastinate and come here and write about kale instead.

It has been interesting to be able to observe the scarlet kale thru winter for basically the first time. It is more wilted than the green in the cold weather, but not totally forgone. I think we've had about -23C/-10F at night (+ windchill factor), so it's getting its mettle tested with basically no snow protection. I am sort of enamored of that inky purple coloring. The texture has been very soft too when boiled.

Clearly there was not enough nitrogen in this soil. It's a new bed that's never grown veggies before, just perennials. I slathered it in brown leaves that we put through the shredder in fall. Hoping that adds some fertility.

Love that anthocyanin!

Predictably, the Osaka kales with no chlorophyll in the centers have not been able to handle the weather. The purple and green is totally different.

My first perennial onions! Gosh I find these pretty exciting! Still not anywhere near an established patch, but it's a start! Oct 2024 I planted the wee bulbils. So excited to establish some perennial veggies!! The deadness in the back is the golden chard, which I left out of curiosity to see if it might make seed next year. Probably not, but nothing ventured nothing gained. The size of those roots are so big I was tempted to see if you can eat them as a veggie. lol

Well, DS did turn the cover cropped bed over. But I think it needed more manhandling and bashing to better break down the oats and rye, because they stayed green even after getting dug up. Now I may have the problem of vegetative matter breaking down through the next season while I try to grow corn in there, and robbing my corn plants. That sucks. I won't be doing a cover crop again I don't think. The plants are too substantial to easily blend back in with the soil. Well, it was an experiment so now I know.

 

[flowerbug]

I need to be doing work writing up blurbs for the website, but I thought I'd procrastinate and come here and write about kale instead.

seedcorn would have said something about this, but i see he is no longer about...

as for your turned over cover crops by doing it now at least you are getting a start on the decomposition process, but a lot of it is not going to happen until it gets warmer again anyways, personally i would leave it until next spring because turned bare dirt will erode more than the areas left covered. alas, i cannot do much of that here (Mom's idea of how things should look and she's the boss ).

i do know from experience that winter wheat and winter rye (the grain crop) do an excellent job of keeping weeds down when let grow and continue into the next spring. turning them under early in the spring as possible did give them enough time to break down and they did wonders for the heavy soil here with all those roots.