Purple Tree Collard x Daubenton ‘KEEPER’ perennial kale small rooted cutting
£7.50
ROOTED CUTTING IN A 1L POT
‘Keeper’ is the best perennial kale we grow, compact with very tender and delicious dark green/purple leaves and fantastic pest resistance. These rooted cuttings are smaller plants than our £10 sized plants, but have established roots and will grow on quickly.
Awaiting Re-stock
We can email you when it's back ...
Description
Purple Tree Collard x Daubenton perennial kale ‘Keeper’ is the best perennial kale we grow. It is a very special perennial brassica with purple/green tender leaves and a bushy habit, reaches a height and spread of about 1.5m. We have had it growing for four years and it hasn’t flowered so far. This came to us as a gift from plant breeder Graham. D. Jenkins-Belohorska. Named ‘keeper’ as it was the best of a bunch of perennial kale/collard crosses. Once mature, leaves can be harvested all year round. Plants can go on producing for 5 – 8 years or more and are hardy down to about -10c. Once established, you will be able to take cuttings yourself and endlessly propagate new plants, providing yourself with leafy greens for many years to come. Price is for a small rooted cutting in a 1L pot.
How to grow
Plant out in a sunny position or a spot with a little bit of dappled shade is also okay. Plants will spread about 1m to 1.5m, with about 1.5m height. Leaves are a a beautiful green tinged with purple and are tender all year round. Prolific producer, very useful plant and more suitable for smaller gardens than Taunton Deane Kale. You can give an occasional mulch of compost at the base of the plants, but other than that they don’t need anything.
Propagating more plants
Once your plant has established and has nice bushy growth, you will start to see side stems with ridges. These can be snipped off and potted up and be used to propagate all of your future plants yourself.
Pests & diseases
This variety has been the most resilient for us out of all the perennial brassicas we grow, with minimal damage from caterpillars and whitefly.
Harvest & eating
Let your plant get to a good size before you start harvesting. Once mature you can harvest leaves all year round and use in the same way as any kale.