Daubenton's

[robertb]

Anyone else grow it?

[nicolas]

I'm growing the variegated form but stiil in pot cause of slug pressure. Also Ewiger Kohl in the same condition.

[robertb]

I have a couple of seedlings in pots(from HSL seed) for the same reason. They grow like the clappers once they get started, so be ready for it!

[nicolas]

Daubenton seeds are a very interesting thing Do you know more how to buy these from them ?

[robertb]

You'd have to join, and you get a selection of seeds with your membership. I've no idea whether they're offering Daubenton's this year.

www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/index.php

[toad]

Mar 11, 2014 18:21:17 GMT -5 robertb said:

Anyone else grow it?

I grow it. I had my Daubenton from Stephen Barstow in Norway. It has survi ed the last three winter more or less unprotected. I.e. I protect the base of the plant from the sun in frosty march days.

[robertb]

I've found that small plants need protection from really cold weather, but once it gets well established, it's extremely tough. What variety is it you have? There are three known from Britain; green, variegated and Taunton Deane, which is purple. There are a lot of other perennial kales grown on the continent though.

[nicolas]

First time i here about 'Taunton Deane', so it is perennial ? have you more info or pointer on it.

[Graham]

I wouldn't consider Taunton Deane to be a form of Daubenton. It has it's similarities to Daubenton, but it's definitely a different variety. There is a youtube video of a gardeners world episode that features the plant, it's about 3mins in to the video. I do have a couple of Taunton Deane plants. They need to size up a bit, but I can send cuttings once they have.

[cortona]

Graham is the last kale showed the purple one? it looks greath! end especially the leaves are so huge! my daubenton have leavesalfthat size. ifyou have cuttings in future i will love one of it!

[Graham]

Yup, that's the one.

I'm sure I'll be able to get you some. I'll have to wait and see how quickly it grows but I'd think I'll have cuttings available by the end of the season.

[robertb]

It's perennial, and similar to Daubenton's, but I havent grown it out yet. I do have cuttings, but that's as far as I've got.

[cesarz]

I've managed to germinate three plants from a very old seed packet (1987) labelled D'aubenton Kale and the plants are now four feet high and one is starting to flower after more than three years from germination.

I also have several two year old Sukuma Wiki Kale from USDA that seem to resemble D'aubenton but with lesser branching habit. I have heard rumours that D'aubenton was a selection from Sukuma Wiki?

[nicolas]

Welcome here Cesarz

Its a great thing that your Daubenton is flowering; i've read on HG that you plan to cross it with a broccoli, i hope the cross will be fruitful !

First time i heard about Sukuma Wiki

[galina]

My Taunton Dean Cottager's Kale has never flowered, but this year my variegated Daubenton is flowering and has set seed pods. I have also flowering Portuguese kale (from Heritage Seed Library), a white flowering perennial plant, Variegated is yellow flowering and I have played bee.

Can't wait to find out what will be growing from these seeds. Both parents are perennial, I hope that trait will continue. Hope the seeds will be fertile. The seed pods are looking lumpy which indicates that there are seeds inside.

These perennial kales are just so useful and there is a lot to be harvested from a relatively small area of the garden (although they make large plants). The only problem is that they are not very cold hardy. I believe the reason why my variegated Daubenton's flowered in the first place was the unusually long and cold winter we had. Maybe the plant felt threatened in its survival.