We have many variety of vegetables that we grow for the first time last cool season and some were introduced by our local seed-savers group. One of the vegetables that we tried growing for the first time during last cool season was Nero Black Kale. Although it was a new plant in the garden, I totally neglected it and was growing on one of the shades part of the garden in winter. It did not get any special treatment and exposed to pest. This is one plant you can experiment to try growing in partial shade~shade if you want to fully utilised your gardening space.
Nero Black Kale seedlings.
In winter growing so slowly in shade.
It will be lucky if it received 1 hour direct sunlight during sunny days at this corner. Nero Black kale growing along with cineraria.
Spring came with more light and those kale pick up growth very quickly.
Totally growing in shade.
Did not want to waste the extra seedlings we had.
They do grow albeit rather slowly like my thesis writing.
At least they do provide some harvest for our kitchen harvest.
We don't have fresh harvest much this week.
Probably will be relying on frozen veggie stock now.
Nero Black kale came to rescue with fresh harvest.
The first time we harvest those leaves.
Yellow currant cherry tomatoes still plenty to harvest.
Mark ask me several time about this yellow currant cherry tomato.
I found that the skin thickness of this yellow currant cherry tomatoes varies in cool and warm season. During the warm season, this variety of cherry tomatoes is more acidic and skin are much thicker. However, in cool season this tomato skin is very thin and less acidic or more sweeter. We enjoyed the flavour of this tomato more during cooler months/weeks. It starting to be over 30 degree Celsius during the day now. I have noticed that suddenly this tomato skin become much thicker the same as last summer experience. So as a student of science, my hypothesis is that temperature can be one of the main factor that influence the thickness of this tomato skin. Adaptation to different temperatures in different season makes this tomato very draught and cold hardy compared to other varieties of cherry tomatoes that we grow. If I remember correctly, tomatoes were originally yellow in colour. So it is one of the tomatoes you might want to keep over winter as the flavour is best in cooler weather. I think last winter, that plant has gone through at least 2 degree Celsius. It does reallyX3 well in partial shade. So don't have to sacrifice your sunny spot for this tomato plant.
How did we enjoyed our first Nero Black Kale?
In case you are wondering, did not have problem with lumps.
My cousin made it and follow the recipe accordingly.
Now, Rayyan been eating polenta occasionally.
We will be sending chervil seeds to author of these wonderful blogs:
Hope to receive your postbox mail address (diana.demiyah@gmail.com)
Have a great weekend!
Things are just popping along for you now.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Interesting post and great photos. I'm a fan of kale and your dish looks delicious. Kelli
ReplyDeleteThat is one of my favorite kales, I will have to check out Mark's polenta recipe. Interesting information on the yellow tomatoes, we have one called "Yellow Peacevine Cherry" that always does well for us. Also, I like your ladybird on the amaranth picture.:)
ReplyDeleteWow, what a lovely surprise! And I really hope you like the Cavolo Nero and polenta combination. Funnily enough I am cooking Cavolo Nero again today, but this time I am stir-frying it with garlic and chilli, which is much more your style I think. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'll be in touch via email about the seeds. Thank you very much.
That's so pretty! Black kale is ornamental as well. Yes my brinjal plant has produced one little brinjal already. And thanks again for your seeds. They germinated really fast.
ReplyDeleteI will try Black kale for the first time this spring. Yours is a beauty !
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend, Diana !
I've never tried kale before, but I hope to grow some this spring and next fall. I'll have to remember what you said about the yellow current tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteLynn
There must be many little critters hiding inside your garden.
ReplyDeleteThey say hi to you that has been neglected for all the times.
Send my regard to them.
And have a happy weekend.
I just love looking at the Nero Black kale. The texture and the shade of the colour is interesting. Looking forward to the chervil seeds. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteDianaa, you have so many plants that I have never heard of! The Nero Black Kale has very pretty leaf, I cannot help but imagine it in a bouquet of flowers! Haha! The polenta with Kale looks good!
ReplyDeleteOh, I can see some new leaves growing at your basil plants.. (wink! wink!)
Hope they will grow soon!
Congratulations to the winners!
I guess the yellow tomatoes would keep their thin skins in our climate. I think at a regular 30C plus I too would need to grow a thick skin!
ReplyDeleteThe kale looks really pretty... I had thought that it was called Italian kale... no?
ReplyDeletenice knowing a little info on how the weather affects the tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteCavelo Nero is my favorite kale. I grow it every year and I put it in my front yard. It is so lovely and neighbors walk by and ask what the name of that plant is!
ReplyDeleteCher~The night are still a bit cold for the warm loving vegetables to set proper fruit.
ReplyDeleteKelli~Kale don't wilt quickly when cook. Might be nice to add kale in warm porridge in winter.
Mr. H~That is the first time I hear "Yellow Peacevine Cherry" variety. What the average size of the fruit? Yellow currant are just about 1cm in diameter.
Mark~The whole family enjoy the dish. No one complain about this dish :). It is a nice change to eat other than rice everyday. We did stir-fried kale as well. We squeezed some lemon juice in the stir-fry. Thank you for the address will post the seeds hopefully soon.
Stephanie~I think so too that kale is one of the favourite in any potager for its ornamental look. Happy to hear that those seeds germinated!
Dani~Good Luck with black kale. It probably really suits your climate there and easy to grow.
Lynn~The yellow current tomatoes thrives in neglect in our garden. Does well in partial shade too. But it does require staking.
Rainfield61~ There were many snails crawling on that tomato plants during winter.
Sean~Thank you for the address will try my best to post it to you soon. The old and young leaves with kale does have different shade of green.
ReplyDeleteJoyce~Nero Black kale is popular in cottage garden since it looks ornamental. A very frost-hardy plant as well. Our basil plants seems to grow 1cm taller with your winks;-).
Sue~Temperature is another factor but UV here is too strong.Not very healthy staying too long in the sun here.
Lrong~It does have many aliases I guess.
Lena~If I am not mistaken inconsistant watering too effect tomato skins like split.
Patricia~It is very pretty. I should grow them in the frontyard as well so passerby can enjoy looking at them too.
The Yellow Peacevine tomatoes are large cherry tomato and have a wonderful flavor, one of our favorites.
ReplyDeleteMr. H~ Sounds good. Will double check if our local seeds company have them or not.
ReplyDelete