Ornamental Kale & Cabbage

Host: Gary Bachman, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist

Transcription:

If you haven’t planted your winter color, it’s not too late. Consider planting colorful, ornamental kale and cabbage today on Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

There are so many different colors and leaf textures that add to a garden section. But I have to admit that I really like the red color selections. Red kale is an outstanding choice. The frilly leaves are solid purple red that intensifies as it gets colder during the winter.

Red bore is also a long live plant. As recorded for the long winter months, I’ve seen this plant still looking good in July and August in south Mississippi. Ornamental cabbage has more ornamental look compared to the kale.

Pigeon purple forms round semi-solid heads. The outer leaves maintain a darker green with purplish veins. As the season progresses the new center leaves emerge with a purplish red color. The pigeon series also has white and pink selections. An aspect that many gardeners might not realize is that ornamental kale and cabbage are edible. The bright colors can add pizazz to any fresh salad or stir-fry.

The way these are planted is important. Always place the transplants in the ground up to the lower leaves, ornamental kale and cabbage can look good as single specimens.

Good soil drainage is a must. Be careful that the soil does not dry out. Cold fronts moving though can be relatively dry, and soil moisture can be rapidly depleted. Kale and cabbage like consistent soil moisture. Apply a layer of mulch of your choice to help conserve soil moisture.

These plants are susceptible to cabbage loppers that are easy to control with BT or products containing spinose.

I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.

Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.