SEA KALE

Crambe maritima



Many persons prefer Sea Kale to Asparagus, but the two differ so widely

in flavour and general character that no comparison between them is

possible. On two points, however, the advantage certainly rests with Sea

Kale. It can be more easily grown, and, regarded solely as an article of

food, it is the more profitable crop. This comparison has therefore a

practical bearing. In forming a new garden, and in cases where it may

not be possible to grow both these esculents satisfactorily, Sea Kale

should have attention first, as a thing that will require but a small

investment, and that will surely pay its way, with quick returns, to the

general advantage of the household.



Outdoor Culture.--Sea Kale requires strong ground, fully exposed to

the sun, and enriched with any good manure, that from the stable being

undoubtedly the best. The most satisfactory way to begin is with

well-grown roots, as they make a return at once with the least

imaginable trouble. Let the ground be well dug two spits deep, and put

a coat of manure between; or if it is a good substantial loam, plant

without manure, and the results will be excellent. As the thriving plant

covers a considerable space, and there must be a certain amount of

traffic on the ground to manage it, there should be one row in the

centre of a four-feet bed, with a broad alley on one side; or, better

still, mark out a ten-feet space, with a three-feet alley on each side,

and in this space plant three rows two and a half feet apart, and the

roots one and a half to two feet apart. The planting may be done at any

time after the leaves have fallen, late in autumn, and during winter and

early spring. On warm, dry ground, winter planting answers perfectly,

and enables the gardener to complete the task, for there is always

enough to do in the spring months. But on damp ground and in exposed

situations the best time to plant is the month of March. Put down the

line, and open a trench one foot deep; plant the roots with their crowns

two inches below the surface, filling in and treading firmly as each

trench is planted. The precaution may be taken to pare off all the

pointed prominent buds on each crown, as this will prevent the rise of

flower-stems; but if this is neglected, the cultivator must take care to

cut out all the flowering-shoots that appear, for the production of

flowers will prove detrimental to the crop of Sea Kale in the following

season. Our custom, when a plantation has been thus made, is to grow

another crop with it the first season. The ground between the rows is

marked out in narrow strips, and lightly forked over, and if a coat of

rotten manure can be spared it is pricked in, and a neat seed-bed is

made of every strip, eighteen to twenty-four inches wide. On this

prepared bed sow Onions, Lettuces, and other light crops, and as the Sea

Kale advances take care to remove whatever would interfere with their

expansion, for the stolen crop should not stand in the way of that

intended for permanent occupation. A crop of early Cauliflower, small

Cabbage, or even Potatoes, may be taken, in which case there will be

room for only one row alternately with each row of Kale, and perhaps one

row also in the alleys.



The growth of the Kale should be promoted by all legitimate means, and

in high summer it will take water, liquid manure, and mulchings of rich

stuff, to almost any extent, with advantage. The irrigation that suits

the Kale will probably also suit the stolen crop, but irrigation is not

good for Onions or Potatoes; where these crops are grown care must be

exercised to bestow the fluid on the Sea Kale only.



As the leaves decay in autumn they should be removed, and the ground

kept thoroughly clean. When finally cleaned up, let it be forked over,

but with care not to put the tool too near the plants; and if manure is

plentiful, lay down a coat for a finish, or fork it in at the general

clear up. There should now commence a systematic saving of clean leaves.

Mere vegetable rubbish is not to be thought of. Proceed to cover the

ground with leaves in heaps or ridges sufficient to make a coat finally

of about one foot deep, or say nine inches at the very least. If there

is any store of rough planking on the premises, let the planks be laid

on the ridges of leaves on whichever side the prevailing wind may be.

This will prevent the leaves being blown away, and the planks will be

handy for the next stage in the business.



At the turn of the year put the planks on edge by driving posts down in

any rough way that will hold them firmly for a brief season, and then

spread the leaves equally. If there are not sufficient leaves to cover

the bed for the requisite thickness, raise a good heap over each crown,

and sprinkle a little earth to keep the heap together. But a better mode

of procedure is to have a sufficiency of Sea Kale pots with movable

covers, or in place of these large flower-pots, or old boxes. Put these

over the crowns, and then heap the leaves over and around, and the

preliminaries are completed. A very early growth will be the result, and

the quality will be finer than that of forced Sea Kale. Uncover

occasionally to see how the crop goes on, remembering that perfect

darkness is needed to blanch it completely, and to produce a plump and

delicate sample. Cut close over, taking a small portion of the woody

part of the crown, and when all the growth of a crown is taken, remove

the pot or box, but leave a thin coat of leaves on the cut crown to

protect it, as at the time of cutting Sea Kale keen east winds are

prevalent, and it is unfair to the plants to expose them suddenly. When

the crop has been taken, remove the leaves and the planks, and dig in

between the rows a thick coat of fat manure. The growth will be too

strong now for a stolen crop, and will so continue for many years. After

the crop has been secured, each crown will throw out a number of buds or

shoots. These should all be removed except two or three of the

strongest, which will form the crowns for cutting in the following year.

At the same time take away any small blanched shoots that may have been

left because they were too small or insignificant for table use. This

proceeding will prevent the production of flower-stems, which is

injurious to the plant, and there never need be any fear that the crop

will be diminished, because plenty of buds around the crowns, that do

not show themselves in the first instance, will come forward in due

time.



Forcing.--It is so easy to force Sea Kale that the cultivator may

safely be left to his own devices. But it will be well, perhaps, to say

that perfect darkness is requisite, and the temperature should not

exceed 60 deg. at any time, this being the maximum figure. A rise above 60 deg.

will produce a thin or wiry sample. It is sufficient to begin with a

temperature of 45 deg., and to rise no higher than 55 deg., to insure a really

creditable growth. The market growers are not very particular as to

temperature, but then they do not eat the crop, or know much of it after

it has left their hands. With the gardener in a domestic establishment

the case is different; and we venture to advise young men--to whom book

advice is often valuable as entailing no obligations--that Sea Kale

slowly forced may be nearly as good as that grown under pots in the open

without any heat at all; better it cannot be. Any spare pits or odd

places may be made use of for this crop, provided only that the heat is

not too great. Pack the roots in mould or leaves, or even half-rotten

manure, and shut them up to exclude light, and the crop will be ready in

five or six weeks, unless forcing is commenced very early, in which case

seven weeks at least must be allowed from the time of planting to that

of the first cutting. Roots that have been lifted for forcing should be

thrown away when the crop has been secured, but roots forced in the open

ground suffer so little by the process that they may be forced for

several years in succession ere it becomes necessary to renew the

plantation, provided, of course, that the work is well done. The outdoor

forcing is accomplished in the way described for growing the crop, with

the aid of leaves only, but with certain differences. In the first

place, care must be taken to let the plants feel the cold, but at the

same time to prevent the ground becoming frozen. A touch of frost will

render them more ready to grow when the cultivator brings his

persuasions to bear by heaping hot manure over the pots, and covering

the bed with a thick coat of the same. This is all that can be done, but

it is sufficient. In cases where leaves and other suitable materials are

not available, good Sea Kale may be grown by simply raising over each

crown a heap of sand or sifted coal ashes, provided some clean material

be interposed to keep the sand or ashes from actual contact with the

plant. When this heap begins to crack at the top it will be worth while

to examine it at the bottom, when there will be found a fine head of

blanched Sea Kale, and the mound will have served its purpose.



To grow Sea Kale from seed is a simple matter enough, but there is a

loss of a year as compared with growing it from roots. The ground should

be rich and well worked, and the seed sown in March or April in drills

one foot asunder if for planting out, or in patches about two and a half

feet apart each way if to remain. It is believed by many that Sea Kale

should stand where sown, and we admit that analogies are in favour of

the proposal. But every year such fine produce is obtained from

transplanted roots that we have not the courage to condemn a course of

procedure which may not be theoretically correct. The fact is, the root

is tough and enduring, and suffers but little by moderate exposure to

the atmosphere if handled in a reasonable manner. But to return to the

seeds: they sprout quickly, and, soon after, the plants make rapid

progress. Let them have liberal culture, keep them scrupulously clean,

and thin in good time. If quite convenient, give a light sprinkling of

salt occasionally in the summer: they will enjoy it, and the leaves will

not be injured in the least.