Perennial Kale - Propagation Notes

store.experimentalfarmnetwork... - Really great project with some thoughtful and hard working folks involved. We've gotten various seed from them and have been very happy. Tell em we said hello if you decide to get some of their great stuff!
www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org/ - More of their work focused on community driven open source breeding projects for a more resilient future
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Edible Acres is a full service permaculture nursery located in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. We grow all layers of perennial food forest systems and provide super hardy, edible, useful, medicinal, easy to propagate, perennial plants for sale locally or for shipping around the country…
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Happy growing!

[@johnrriggs22]

You are so patient and loving with your resident garden crusher. They way you interact with all your animals is an inspiration for me when dealing with my own garden destroyers. Lol.

[@edibleacres]

We try. Sasha is a huge influence on that.

[@niamhfox9559]

Jethro is a seedling stress tester, making sure only the strongest survive. I had an indoor professional orchid leaf tenderiser working with me for years, every orchid had teeth marks along the edges. Very decorative.

[@edibleacres]

Ha!

[@mgoldfield5821]

😂😂

[@redpillnibbler4423]

The cat gave the cuttings energy which helped them root well 👍

[@edibleacres]

One would hope!

[@PleasantPrickles]

Looking forward to seeing Jethro in more videos! Love his personality. Side note, great propagation video! 🌱🌱🌱🌱😃🐾

[@edibleacres]

More characters to come... we've got a few more cats :)

[@blenderbenderguy]

You two are the homiest (a good thing), most down to earth sharing & caring folks on youtube. I always, always enjoy your videos! Thank you for everything that you do and share!

[@edibleacres]

So sweet of you to write that. Thanks kindly and know that we feel really lucky to have such a positive and lovely community of folks like you out there in the world!

[@Crina-LudmilaCristeaAuthor]

The garden crusher! What a helper!🤗😎

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

The "filthy fingernail" technique is my preferred method, too. My grandfather was able to take a cutting, push the stick half-way into soul, and get it to live. It was amazing.

[@edibleacres]

I know it's a typo, but I love that soil came through as soul in your comment ...

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

@@edibleacres I like that. 👍

[@anoushkaarmstrong7673]

your kitty loves you and cares for what you care for too ;-> classic !!! and of course, the BEST of spots would be the soft box...he knows !!! definitely a stamp of approval !!! i came to check if the kale is propagatable as you showed- it is a delight to come away with a smile on my heart !!!! thank you for including him !!!

[@edibleacres]

Of course our pleasure!

[@beckymay439]

I’d like more information on how to propagate a Jethro please. He’s awesome. 💖

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@TheEmbrio]

Gardening with cats sure builds patience ! But they are so darn cute

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

So in the UK there are two traditional varieties of perennial kale that are best-known: Taunton Deane and Daubenton. They don't seem to reproduce sexually at all, solely by cuttings, and they grow into something akin to what you might call a tree collard. What I wonder is, whether brassicas can actually be encouraged to perennialise by constantly cloning them in this way. I have kales - I think a Nero di Toscana, and maybe a Red Russian, too, that have survived several winters and summers now without completing their lifecycle, I don't know why, maybe it's our very hot summer that prevents them. I plan to take cuttings of these, I find the idea of a perennial brassica quite appealing, but not all are equally frost-hardy. I've found the Red Russian to survive frosts that killed all the rest, ideally we would select for this trait like you are, to avoid them getting completely killed off in winter. The UK perennial kales survive in "tree" form throughout winter, though UK winters are mild, it has to be said.

[@edibleacres]

Really appreciating the detailed notes here, I suspect a lot of folks will take value from this in more mild climates

[@mgoldfield5821]

The UK channels I watch grow this plant; I assumed we couldn’t grow this in NY. Very happy to hear I’ve been wrong and will be growing this starting next spring. Thank you!

[@edibleacres]

Very worth trying I'd say

[@f_youtubecensorshipf_nazis]

I thought my greenhouse was going to be a cool place to experiment with plant propagation but it turned out its an even better cat gym and it was a losing battle to try to stop it.

[@edibleacres]

The greenhouse attached to our house has transitioned mainly into a cat zone. We're trying to find a balance.

[@rosewood513]

I just purchased seeds; I hope they grow. Jethro is adorable, I see he likes to nip, do not be angry that light nipping shows affection. My boy does it but I do not like it and gently make him stop. Thank you for this nice video. I have been wanting to grow Perennial kale for some time.

[@lauralindsay319]

Perennial kale... you guys just made my month! Thank you 💙💙💙

[@lauralindsay319]

Lmfao! Hopefully my white and peach fluffy garden mascot will be close enough comparison to provide the hair and plant stress to push along the crops progress 😂😻

[@edibleacres]

I'm sure it will help :)

[@MrSnaveRevilo]

Thanks for the inspiration! I have a vigorous kale that's lasted a number of years with zero attention or water in one of my gardens here in Sonoma County, CA. I've taken 16 cuttings off it (it had lots having resprouted off large stalks). Excited to see how they take, and replant in my workplace garden since I don't have any seed saved!

[@tim47012]

Another great video. I liked the ending where you show how you prepare the kale. I like to see the different ways of preparation. Thanks for sharing!

[@SKHRLife]

That is the way I cook my kale, stir fry for breakfast daily. We love it

[@cosmo6447]

What do you eat with your stirfried kale?🤔

[@slaplapdog]

I like mine with runny yolk eggs!

[@katherinefritz3411]

A kitty other then Stanley making an appearance. So sweet. Cant wait to try my hand at perennial Kale. Thanks for sharing your notes.

[@edibleacres]

You are so welcome!

[@almostoily7541]

I just got my first tree collard cuttings this fall. I have one in the ground and two in pots... up on a table because of my resident seedling crushers. 😅 Mine bark, roll in, dig up and generally crush anything I would like to grow. All in an effort to get a scratch or two and crawl into my lap 😂 Hubby fenced in an area for me to garden away from my babies but they sit outside the fence and look so pathetic, like I'm leaving them out of something they enjoy. So I plant in and out of the fence. We're all happy now 😊

[@edibleacres]

Good reminders in all direction to try to create more abundance

[@alwaysradical1613]

For seeds, I found if you can keep snow off the leaves over winter (I covered with a plastic table during snowstorms), then they survive just fine (barring hungry rabbits) and the plant will produce an enormous amount of seeds come late spring. This was in subzero Chicago temps, albeit south side of the house. Also, although the second year growth was enormous, the shoots were tough and hollowed out, leaving gnats to invade and colonize the plant, making it virtually impossible to clean, so I don’t recommend keeping them after harvesting seeds.

[@trishapomeroy9251]

Jethro's just trying to keep them warm for you LOL I literally laughed out loud at the filthy fingernail comment. That is my preferred method as well.

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@yolylacy5416]

Not only are your chickens entertaining, but now the cat too. 😂

[@edibleacres]

Entertainment abounds :)

[@AndYourLittleDog]

I’m going to try your propagation ideas and share notes on whether similar results can be achieved with a black and white pussycat.

[@edibleacres]

We appreciate notes on that since we have a few other cats with various colors and would like to know how well they can assist in the rooting process :)

[@Smith.S.E.]

Jethro is living high on the hog, great video

[@edibleacres]

He does alright for himself

[@ottocarmanjones7143]

Thank you for sharing this.

[@katherinefritz3411]

Ordered some seeds. Very excited to try them out

[@edibleacres]

Good luck!

[@heatherlewis2718]

Jethro we thank you for your services!!

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@WynterDragon]

I'm just growing my first perinneal kale. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@SchutzReborn]

Nice work.

[@deanejefford3291]

Love you videos & this one is perfect for us timing wise. I’ve been on the lookout for a perennial kale & now I’ve found a great source thx to you! Keep up the great work

[@edibleacres]

They have a pretty amazing selection of seeds

[@whereisangie]

awww i love to see the cats helping❤❤😂

[@edibleacres]

Always a joy when they 'help'

[@awakenacres]

I’m gonna give this a try. Just made my order and thanks for the link! Love Jethro!😍🐈

[@edibleacres]

Hope you like it!

[@weirdheathersgarden]

Lol my kitty is the same. He has several hidey spots in the garden, I swear he thinks he’s a lion hiding in the undergrowth 😂🦁😸

[@marxerm]

Awesome, Jethro rocks! Great video with the usual brilliant garden advice but followed by a little kitchen action. I like that format. Sasha, hope you're using your ferment juices for deglazing!?

[@angelfromtheotherside1439]

This is great! A friend gifted me one of these plants mid season this year. I can’t wait to make many many more from it! Thanks for the great tips and video!!!!! Such a great crop!!! Kale is my favorite green… something about the taste is like green candy to me lol weird I know!

[@edibleacres]

Great that you love it, since it's so good for you and these seem so so easy to copy.

[@HelenRullesteg]

What a lovely cat, and I love your patience with his behaviour, he doesn't know he might be crushing things, he's just comfortable :-) we have cats as well, so this all resonates with us.

[@edibleacres]

In the grand scheme it doesn't matter all that much and he's so sweet as a being that we don't want to feel upset with him

[@janinecobb]

Thank you as always for your great video. I really appreciate your careful explanations. 🌟

[@edibleacres]

You are so welcome

[@EastxWestFarms]

Thank you so much. I have a few kale plants that survive the summer. Good to know that you can propagate them by cuttings.

[@nathanchristopher8585]

I've been growing and propagating Purple Tree Collards (one variety of perennial kale) for ~4 years now in a hot arid summer + mild wet winter climate and I have found the same ease of propagating, abundance of year-round production, deep flavor, resistance to becoming bitter in hot dry weather. Really so many fantastic qualities to these perennial kales. I grow a polyculture of Sunchoke, Artichoke, and Tree Collards here with assorted other ground covers like Selfheal, White Clover, and Strawberry which has been a great way to fill mulched beds for like 5 years while the woody perennials get established and growing... though managing the Sunchokes with the woody perennials growing in is still a trick I'm mastering.

[@backtonature433]

He definitely stole the spotlight 🐈😄🤭🤭🤭

[@katherinelloyd-roberts2261]

Another great video, thank you. I love perennial kale. I having been growing heirloom variety “Taunton Deane” for about 10 years here in the UK. I have found rough cuttings put round the edge of a large pot placed somewhere in the shade seem to work for me but take a few months to root. Going to try your rooting direct in the soil idea now. Thanks.

[@edibleacres]

Hope it works well

[@gregzeigler3850]

I have "perennial" broccoli. I got the seed from the same place and it self seeded itself. I've sent off for Colewort, which tastes pretty much like cabbage, and it's perennial too.

[@RagbagMcShag]

I like your approach of simplifying methods, plants are hardy and they have learnt a thing or two about surviving in the wild, you dont always need hightech to help them out :)

[@edibleacres]

Exactly!

[@allonesame6467]

Brilliant! Hollar Homestead has been looking for perennial crops they can feed their livestock and Chris says that perennial kale is one of those plants for all beings to eat, just as you feed to your chickens! I had some kales reseed from last year and one that over-wintered in our mild winter. Thank you, love you guys and what you share!

[@edibleacres]

These kales are note only very hardy, but make nice sized leaves that cook up very well for our desires and the chickens absolutely love them. I have an image of hundreds and hundreds of these planted all around, near enough the chicken area that we can crack an armfull a day to offer them 8 months a year.

[@SocksnGreys]

I started some of EFN's mix a few years ago and had one take quite well. Now I know how to get more plants going from that one cutting (seed starting has proved to be more tricky with these, at least for me), so my rabbits are going to be thrilled to have one of their favorite foods more often!

[@edibleacres]

Hope it works out wonderfully!

[@_SunRa_]

Oh wow that's great! I'm in a zone 5 I'd def like to get some of those seeds :) I've had winterbore go 3 years but that's it.

[@morjesusgan3]

What a cool kale! 🐈 🤣

[@paperm2023]

Revolutionary

[@gardentours]

So cute 🐈 💛

[@andrewsackville-west1609]

I have a purple tree collards I bought in a 1 gallon container, this spring. It was mostly sitting there doing nothing. Then about a month ago, someone came along and ate all the leaves off of it. Fast forward 2 weeks, leafing put all over in the midst of a hot dry spell. Go figure. I have half a dozen starts from seed I just planted out. Fingers crossed. I'm zone 8a-ish here, somewhat maritime. I expect it to do well, if I can keep the predation down.

[@edibleacres]

Good luck!

[@Ninja-yi7rr]

Thanks for sharing as always. I’d love to see how you setup your misting system.

[@edibleacres]

Glad you have interest, I know some other folks do too so maybe I'll put that together

[@earthmagic1]

Every gardener needs a cat to keep him on his toes 😆😆

[@danielbrockett1469]

Thanks for another awesome video! I ran right out and cut and stuck a bunch of shoots off our plants, fingers crossed!

[@edibleacres]

So far it feels really promising, they seem to really want to root!

[@dragonshadow3707]

Hey thanks for the video we have had real high winds and my kale got broken so i will try this and see what happens so thanks very much and i will give you an update if I am successful lol

[@edibleacres]

We'd be interested to know how it works, please feel free to share in the comments so others can learn, too... Good luck!

[@peterellis4262]

chuckle.. Testing the extremes here myself. Trimmed a bush from around our house number sign on the street and brought a bunch of the trimmings back and cut a bunch of stakes and pushed them into the ground. We'll see if anything takes ;)

[@edibleacres]

Fingers crossed and it seems likely

[@jlazelle1]

Got some Kaleidoscope Kale in my back yard. I believe it's from Oregon. Looks like it is really hardy. I see more color in a warmer climate.

[@edibleacres]

Happy you're growing it !

[@TheEmbrio]

A tough plant ! I’ll look it up for europe

[@harriettejensen479]

Checked out EFN and ounds some new and interesting seeds to pant. Thanks or the referral.

[@edibleacres]

So glad!

[@MartinaSchoppe]

Jethro is the quality control cat: what survives his scrutiny passed the test, the rest is for the chickens 🤣 Does anybody know, where to get perennial kale in Europe (not GB, because Brexit...)?

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@RagbagMcShag]

He's just accelerating natural selection for these seedlings :-]

[@az55544]

I have hundreds of mulberry seedlings! 4-5" tall and ready to go once temps drop.

[@edibleacres]

That is really great!

[@devonh2290]

This is cool stuff! I love Jethro. He's so cute. What type of pruners do you use? I'm not even sure if pruners is the right term.

[@edibleacres]

Okatsune. We made a video about them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmfXkIygqbCMiqs

[@hugelpook]

Cats and boxes!

[@yLeprechaun]

Someday I need to come visit y'all

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@OurEcoLife]

Love your new co-worker. He's just trying to find a place where he fits in. Unfortunately that seems to be in seedling boxes but a bit of chicken wire on top should keep him out.

[@edibleacres]

We'll work out the details, there is enough to go around :)

[@GFD472]

8:00 A filthy fingernail will do.... you guys are the best! Get 'er done!

[@edibleacres]

I've watched so so many videos that say unless you sterilize everything, nothing works. It isn't true (for me) so I want to share that. Definitely not telling people to go grimy but if it's what you have you should know you can try!

[@GFD472]

@@edibleacres Agreed! Like you I have read, been told and seen videos describing how things 'must' be done in the garden & orchard. After several years of experience I take all of this with a big does of salt. Positive & successful results for me have not been aligned with any sort of specific method or technique. Great video! 😃

[@henjutsu1]

You might consider offering a box that's growing catmint or catnip that would be used by preference, cats love boxy shapes. Leave some citrus peels in the boxes with seedlings for discouragement.

[@edibleacres]

I like it!

[@thenextpoetician6328]

At the farm where I garden and lend a hand, the neighbor's cat comes to greet me after the neighbor has left for work, because our ritual is for him to get rubs and rubs and rubs and then one of us decides it's time for him to escort me to the neighbor's front door while walking between my feet, always checking left and right, and then I let him in. It's a system.

[@edibleacres]

Cats teach us what the system is supposed to be and we just have to learn it!

[@thenextpoetician6328]

@@edibleacres Cats are quintessential Aspies, so their special interests and skills are always front and center. They make it easy for us.

[@Youdontknowmeson1324]

Can sea kale crambe species grow from stem cuttings.

[@permiebird937]

We are growing the same Kaleidoscope Kale from EFN. 8b, 200ft. Our tallest plant is about 6ft. Would love to see a video about perennial leeks. Thanks

[@edibleacres]

We've gotten another huge round of perennial leeks started, we'll share notes as we see how they thrive and expand

[@truthbetold2611]

If cuttings need to be hatched, he's the perfect sitter...

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@FarmerJohnca]

@Chimney creek farm

[@miabagley2202]

Lovely video. I checked out the project and if I'm not mistaken they ask that you grow out at least 40 plants to participate and buy the seeds. I don't have room for so many. Any other suggestions?

[@edibleacres]

You can absolutely just buy seeds and enjoy them. No requirement to join projects...

[@malaleuca6620]

It is not easy to get perennial kale seed in Europe, but I'll keep trying, I have had Tuscany kales and a few other unnamed variety leafy kales last for 3 years the most and it's great, they flower go to seed and keep on growing, some I would cut to the base leaving a few buds at the beginning of the spring and some I would leave as they are. In general the Tuscany thrived best without the cutting. When did you sow the mulberries? Do you have tips on how to take care of the seedlings? Were they in shade or under some sort of protection? Ours sprouted but got burned by the Sun... We too have a cat family with similar talents to Jethro's :) I would love to one day see a Cats of Edible Acres video!

[@edibleacres]

Too many questions for one comment :)

[@malaleuca6620]

@@edibleacres I know but I still have so many more :)

[@carennorthcutt7724]

For the algorithm! I'm in zone 6 but the white cabbage moths are evil.

[@rickbuell8996]

Get bacillus T, and apply judiciously, and the moths will be gone. Don't overspray, bc BT will kill desirable butterflies also.

[@gelwood99]

A simpler way is to cover them with bug netting over the plantings as soon as they are planted. Suspend the netting above the plants with hoops or limbs and enjoy bug/pest-free brassicas! If the net touches the plant the moth can lay her eggs on it but if it floats above the moth is powerless to invade your plot! and weigh down the sides too or the moth can crawl under it in search for her host.

[@tinnerste2507]

I crack off a leaf when the eggs are just hatched and feed the leaf and catapilars to my chickens. Mostly the wild birds eat the bigger ones. Try plant g your brassicas near trees or put a bird bath nearby

[@gelwood99]

I am a rare lover of raw kale in a salad. How is the taste with the thicker leaves? I am in zone 7b and very curious about these plants. I could eat kale year-round! Thanks!

[@edibleacres]

I think if you get the leaves early they would be great raw. At full size they are certainly nicer as a cooked green (in our opinion)

[@joshualeduc7834]

I actually purchased some Kaleidoscope Kale seeds from Experimental Farm Network and started some plants in my forest garden this past spring. Zone 7B Central Virginia. They were growing well and looking healthy until the cabbage loopers and harlequin bugs started getting abundant in late May/June (as they do every year). Sean, can you or anybody else readying this comment let me know if this is an issue by you? Being that I don't have the time or energy to constantly spray these plants with BT, and that row cover doesn't really work in a forest garden, I was ready to give up trying to grow perennial greens, which makes me sad...

[@edibleacres]

I don't have a good answer there for you. We are seeing them more and more and it is a very real challenge.

[@pablokozatch8403]

Is that a dancing plant (codariocalyx motorist) at 2:45???

[@edibleacres]

I don't know!

[@lisaalbarras3029]

I don't have a white and tan cat, would a calico cat rubbed on cuttings work instead?

[@edibleacres]

I've read that can work in a pinch :)

[@MultiShaed]

Can you get into your misting set up?

[@edibleacres]

I'll make a note to talk about that.

[@veganbean2552]

I’ve tried growing perennial kale before I think it was Daubenton. It got mullered by caterpillars and died. We have such a problem with caterpillars. Any tips on how to prevent. I have been inspecting my flower sprouts every few days and rubbing off butterfly eggs which I hate doing but if I didn’t we wouldn’t get any crop at all.

[@edibleacres]

We have pressure from Cabbage Moth in this area, maybe its the same green character. Still trying to learn what may be a solution to them that isn't spray or row cover, but haven't figure it out just yet. Promote predatory wasps as much as possible... they generally are helpful

[@veganbean2552]

@@edibleacres oh brilliant thank you. Will research what habitat they need and get to sorting. Thanks very much for the advice.

[@bnelson2180]

Hello 👋, totally off subject but do you know anyone that has Babington’s Top Setting Perennial Leek seed available? I’ve searched everywhere I could on Google with no success! Also, what is your opinion on this plant 🌱?

[@edibleacres]

We haven't worked with that plant, not sure how to be helpful

[@moe331]

Does anyone know if perennial kale can handle hot and dry weather? I'm in northern Utah

[@a4000t]

i've had luck with vates blue curled kale,kept one plant going 4 years, 8B Texas,we have 3+ months of 100f+ temps mid summer. It survived 13f winters.

[@edibleacres]

We had a pretty dry and hot moment this summer, and in a high tunnel with much higher temps and less water they did great. Seem to be adapted to hot and dry

[@gregorybaur3097]

Is dinosaur kale considered perennial?

[@edibleacres]

Not that I know of, but I only know a little :)

[@rickbuell8996]

I'd like to know where perennial kale is sold in the US?

[@f_youtubecensorshipf_nazis]

link in the description

[@katherinefritz3411]

Website said 6 but Sean is 5b and they look to be thriving despite the issues he mentioned

[@fashiharz8584]

Does it flower and go to seed?

[@edibleacres]

Yes, but not very frequently it seems. We're still learning!

[@fashiharz8584]

@@edibleacres after flowering, does it die off? Or did it keep living?

[@indirarimkeit6644]

Jethro is lying down on the cuttings because you aren't trying to play on a keyboard.

[@edibleacres]

Exactly!

[@gratitude354]

Sean...one remark.. Sometimes your voice is inaudible in your videos, I habe to watch them at night when silence surrounds

[@cliffpalermo]

I watch with cc on to better absorb the lesson

[@edibleacres]

Sorry about that. I may invest in a wireless mic that works well to help with that...

[@bryanbeast8662]

Do you think this would survive -40?

[@edibleacres]

That seems incredibly challenging of a temperature. I can't say but certainly a very far end test....

[@MAfr3ak]

As Jethro's lawyer, he did nothing wrong.

[@edibleacres]

He's liability indemnified. We signed away a lot at the beginning :)