Sea-kale
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| Exposure: | ☼ | ?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property. |
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| Water: | ◍ | ?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property. |
Read about Sea-kale in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Sea-kale (Crambe maritima, Linn.) is a large-leaved strong cruciferous perennial, the young shoots of which are eaten in the spring, usually after having been blanched. The plant is little known in North America, but it is worthy of general cultivation in the home-garden, for it supplies an esculent of good quality at a season when vegetables are scarce. Sea-kale demands a deep rich and rather moist soil, in order to give the best results and to maintain its vigor for a series of years. The plants require about as much room as rhubarb; that is, they should stand from 3 to 4 feet apart each way. The culture and general requirements are much the same as for rhubarb. The young shoots are blanched as they grow, in early spring. The blanching is accomplished by heaping fine loose earth over the crown of the plant, into which the shoots grow, or by covering the plant with an inverted box or flower-pot so that the light is excluded from the growing shoots. These shoots are eaten before the leaves have begun to expand to any extent, whilst crisp and tender. The vegetable is prepared as is asparagus. Sea-kale is propagated by root-cuttings, and also by seeds. Quicker results are secured from cuttings. If strong cuttings, 4 or 5 inches long, are taken in early spring and grown in good and rather moist soil, the plants may be strong enough for cutting the following spring; but it is usually better not to cut them until two years from starting. The cuttings may be placed where the plants are to stand permanently, or they may be grown in drills in a seed-bed. The latter plan is usually to be preferred, since it allows the plants to receive better care. Seeds give plants that are strong enough for cutting about the third year. The seeds are really fruits or pods, and each fruit may produce two or three plants. Usually the fruits are sown without shelling. The seedlings are raised in the seed-bed and transplanted when one year old to permanent quarters. On good soil, plants of sea-kale should maintain their vigor for five to eight years after they have come to cutting age. As soon as they begin to show signs of decline, new plants should be propagated. Although the plant is hardy in the northern states, it is always benefited by a liberal dressing of litter or manure in the fall. Plants may be forced in hotbeds or under the greenhouse benches, as recommended for rhubarb. Sea-kale has large glaucous cabbage-like leaves which make it a striking plant for ornament early in the season. It also throws up a strong cluster bearing many rather showy white flowers. However, the plant is rarely propagated for its ornamental value. For botanical description, see Vol. II, p. 873. CH
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
External links
- w:Sea-kale. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Sea-kale QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)