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Purple tree collard x Daubenton perennial kale 'Keeper'

Purple Tree Collard x Daubenton ‘Keeper’ perennial kale (stem cutting)

£5.99

SUPPLIED AS AN UNROOTED STEM CUTTING
The best perennial kale we grow, compact with very tender and delicious dark green/purple leaves and fantastic pest resistance. FULL INSTRUCTIONS SENT TO ROOT YOUR CUTTINGS SUCCESSFULLY.

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Description

Purple Tree Collard x Daubenton perennial kale ‘Keeper’ a very special perennial brassica with purple/green tender leaves and a bushy habit, reaches a height and width 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. Price is for one unrooted stem cutting. Stem cuttings are thick stems with a growing tip that need to be potted up in deep pots of compost. They will root easily within 4-6 weeks, full instructions given. Once your cutting has rooted it can be planted out. When it has matured into a nice bushy plant, you will be able to take cuttings yourself and endlessly propagate new plants, providing yourself with leafy greens for many years to come.

How to root a stem cutting

Full instructions are sent with your order, rooting stem cuttings is really easy to do. A stem cutting is a thick section of stem from a mature plant with a growing tip. Place your stem cutting in a deep pot of compost with the growing tip above the surface and the stem below the surface. Make sure there is enough room for roots to form in the pot, you can always trim the stem a little if you need to. Some people like to use an organic rooting hormone, but this is not essential. You can also place a ventilated clear plastic bag over your cutting to help it root faster. After 4-6 weeks you should see a bit of new growth on the cutting and start to see white roots emerging from the bottom of the pot. Let your plant get to a good size before planting out with about 6 true leaves. You can pot it on one more time if you wish to get it to a really large size before planting out.

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 used to make your own stem cuttings and you can endlessly propagate all of your future plants yourself.

Pests & diseases

After a year or two they should be large enough to survive without any protection. We don’t use any crop covers with ours and although purple tree collards can be attacked by cabbage whites, even the most well nibbled plants bounce back completely by autumn. We have also found that interspersed plantings of perennial brassicas make great companions – greatly reducing the damage to regular brassica crops by acting as pest beacons, whilst having the innate capacity to survive them.

Harvest & eating

Let your plant get to a good size before you start harvesting. Once mature you can harvest leaves all year round. Use in the same way as any kale. It has the most delicious nutty taste and surprisingly tender considering the size of the plants.

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“Thanks for everything, the info sheet was great. I planted the cuttings the day they arrived and have just multi sown the 9 star in seed trays. All very exciting, we’re now planning our perennial area.”

“You are right, perennial kale is fantastic! Thanks so much for the cuttings. I am a convert to having a corner of perpetual kale in the patch!”

“As the evening sun back lit the plants at Incredible Vegetables, I felt I was standing in one of the most important gardens of our time. Wildflowers working alongside an abundance of edimentals and perennial vegetables. A ‘food glade’ to rival the aesthetic of our greatest plant designers.”

– Jon Davies, garden designer, London Glades –

“I love your website and the work you’re doing. What you’re doing is exiting, useful, and one day will help to replace and enhance what human kind has damaged.With that our natural friends will return and we’ll be better for it.”

“Mandy, thank you. I am delighted with this plant – it is so strong and healthy and exceptionally well packaged – all done with loving care obviously. I shall look forward to having more plants from you.”

“Plants all arrived lovely and are growing well. I just wanted to say i was very impressed with the quality of the cuttings.. and its been a pleasure dealing with you. And I look forward to any purchases in the future.”

“The kale cuttings you sent survived the winter and are thriving. Thank you Mandy Barber you are the super hero of edibles, loving your work!!”

“I bought some Skirret seed’s off you last year. Well they grew and yesterday some got cooked and this message is just to say, they were delicious. Looking forward to a lot more next year. Thank you.”

“The Taunton Dean cuttings arrived a short while ago and never have I seen healthier looking cuttings! They are now firmly ensconced in some nice compost and are having a good drink. I even loved the packaging, which will be composted.”

“Hi I just wanted to let you know that I sowed half of my Caucasian spinach seeds and every single one grew, absolutely amazed, thanks for the seeds and keep up the good work.”

“Just to let you know that the lovely healthy looking plants arrived. Your plants are simply outstanding, every single tuber and plant are growing amazingly.”

“The plants arrived safely, I did not expect such magnificent specimens! I didn’t think I would be successful at stratification etc but I now have a whole bunch of Hablitzia seedlings sprouting after following your excellent advice.”

“Just to say, the Daubentons Kale is in the ground and looking well – thanks to the lovely damp compost encasing its roots…you do a good job at your end, I can tell by the way you package. Will be back for more of your wonderful perennials.”

“Thank you so much for all the vegetables, they really are incredible. I’m sure I’ve never before seen a healthier rootball than the one that arrived with our happy looking daubentons kale, and seeds and tubers are thriving thanks to all the useful information provided.”

“Thank you so much for sending such wonderful, healthy and very large plants. They are beautiful !! You packaged them so well and they arrived so quickly – I couldn’t get to the post office till the following day but they were absolutely fine. They’re now potted up and sitting in my ‘cold’ greenhouse while they adjust.”

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Mandy and Julien