Re: crambe cordifolia in medit climate?
> So that's how you do it!!
> Alternatively outdoor plants have their leaves stripped away in late
> November. Very large pots are placed over the crowns, making sure
> than no light can enter otherwise the shoots will be intensely bitter.
> Eating sized shoots take about 6 - 8 weeks to develop in this way and
> ideally only one crop should be taken from young plants, but a second
> crop can be safely taken from old, well established crowns. After
> cutting has finished, the crowns are gradually hardened to light and
> air and given a good top dressing of manure to help them to recover.
> Unfortunately, such an ordeal does not allow the plant to produce good
> flowers as well, so it is best to have a few crowns for eating and a
> few for the flower border. Being easily increased from root cuttings
> or division, this should not pose a problem. Like asparagus, Sea Kale
> crowns are best grown on for at least 2 - 3 years before cropping.
>
> Dave Poole
> TORQUAY UK
Some time ago, a Brit friend gave me a root of Crambe maritima. She told me it was
one of the dietary mainstays of the British people during the hard times of the 2nd
WW; no food to be had except what you could grow.
I grew it in my San Clemente, CA. clay soil. It did well and flowered during that
latter part of summer. The following year, I tried to harvest some young leaves to
stir fry. Bah! I felt an "in-depth insight" into the suffering of the British people
during the war.
Thanks, Dave for the proper harvesting and cooking instructions!
Jan
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Jan Smithen, gardening teacher
California Arboretum Foundation
jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone : 10
Visit the California Arboretum homepage at :
http://www.arboretum.org/
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