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  • DELIVERY INFO: Seed potatoes & onion/shallot sets are now being shipped. Plug plants will be shipped from late April onwards. See FAQs for further info.

Cavolo Nero Black Kale – Nero di Toscano (Autumn)

£4.79

Out of stock

A popular kale plant for autumn growing

This Italian kale has beautiful dark green leaves and looks really striking in the vegetable patch when it’s fully grown. In fact, many people choose to plant it in borders for exactly that reason. It’s easy to grow (easier than many other brassicas) and will provide you with leaves for several months, right into spring. You’ll find it grows slowly over the coldest months, but you should be able to enjoy a crop from late November onwards, depending on the weather. You’ll receive a complete growing guide with the plug plants when they arrive.

Number of plants: 10 plug plants

Variety: Nero di Toscana (organic*)

In the kitchen: Add kale to stews, steam it, or fry it up with a little garlic butter.

Delivery Info: Available to order now for delivery between September and mid/late October. Please see FAQs for up-to-date delivery info. Planting/Growing Advice: Plant in autumn approx 30-40cm apart in raised beds, traditional veg patches or large planters/pots. They will grow quite quickly while the weather is relatively warm in autumn, and then will slow down in the colder months. They are frost/snow hardy so can be grown outside quite happily. Protect from pigeons and slugs. When to harvest: Start picking the outer leaves as the plant reaches approx 15-20cm high. Leave a few baby leaves in the centre of the plant when harvesting and it will keep producing leaves for several months, right through to spring. *Transplants suitable for organic growing.
Kale

Choose a sunny site with fertile soil

A sunny spot with fertile & moisture-retentive soil is ideal. Partial shade is ok too. Add plenty of compost or organic matter before planting.

Kale

Raised beds or a traditional veg patch

Kale is best grown in raised beds or a well dug veg patch. You could plant curly kale in pots or planters as this is a small plant, but Red Russian Kale and Cavolo Nero are better suited to growing in beds.

Kale

How far apart

Plant Curly Kale about 20-25cm apart, and Red Russian Kale and Cavolo Nero about 30-40cm apart.

Kale

Protect with a brassica collar

You can make these easily out of cardboard. Cut a 10cm diameter disc, cut into the centre and make a slit so that you can pop it around the base of the plant. This is to prevent cabbage root fly larvae from hatching by the base of the plant and burying under the soil to eat the roots.

Kale

Net against pigeons and butterflies

Pigeons love brassica plants and will easily destroy a crop of young plants in a morning. Meanwhile, cabbage white butterflies are attracted to brassicas and lay eggs on the leaves. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are quick to nibble away the leaves and strip the plant bare. To protect against both these pests, cover plants with fine mesh netting or horticultural fleece.

Kale

Water well

As weather warms up it is important to keep kale cool and to give the plants enough water. Try to keep the soil consistently moist rather than allowing it to dry out. During dry spells, water well, once or twice a week.

Kale

When to harvest

You can harvest leaves as they grow for a continuous crop throughout the season. Pull the leaves downwards at the stem to harvest. Start with the larger leaves towards the base of the plant (particularly for cavolo nero which keeps producing new leaves at the top of the plant – the others are a little more bushy so you can take your pick!) You should be able to keep the plant going through autumn and sometimes through winter too.

Pigeons

Pigeons will eat the foliage right down to the ribs/veins. Keep plants netted if you have a lot of pigeons around.


Caterpillars

Lots of holes appearing in leaves is a sure sign of caterpillars. They soon grow, and the holes grow too. Check the underside of leaves and you may see tiny eggs – wipe them off with kitchen paper – or caterpillars themselves. Keep plants netted against butterflies.


Slugs & Snails

Protect plants well from slugs, especially when they are young and vulnerable. Beer traps work well and you may need to to do a dusk patrol with a head torch and bucket to remove slugs if they get really bad!


Club Root

Cabbage flies lay eggs at the base of brassica plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae bury into the ground and feed on the roots. The plants eventually wilt and die. Prevention is key – use brassica collars (see growing advice section)


Bolting/Early Flowering

Sometimes, if the plants get too hot or too dry, they can bolt and start producing flowers. To avoid this, keep them well watered and cool in hot/dry weather. A mulch really helps. If they do start to bolt, you can harvest the broccoli-like spears and cook them up as well.


Storage Tips

Harvest kale as you want to eat it – it will store in the fridge for a few days, but is much better cooked fresh.

Ways to cook

We quite like cooking up a super kale and potato hash with a poached egg for brunch. A great start to the day!

When we deliver
We deliver these plug plants between September and mid/late October, although it’s a little dependent on the weather.

You can order from…
These plug plants are available to be ordered now and we’ll despatch them as soon as they are big enough to both handle the journey to your garden and handle life outside the poly tunnel.

Do I need to sign for them?
All our plant orders are dispatched with an overnight courier* to mainland UK and do not need to be signed for when they are delivered, but will be left somewhere safe. When placing your order, please let us know where you would like the plants left if you are not in when the courier delivers.

We will keep you posted
You will receive an email approximately a week before your order is dispatched and another on the day your plants are packed and leave us so you know to expect and prepare for their arrival.