Kale

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gilesi

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Kale
« on: May 11, 2015, 10:13 »
I've just planted out some kale seedlings - they are about 6 inches high. What should I do about potential pests - I've put down slug pellets but have heard that I should net the kale to discourage birds. When should I put the netting over ?
Many thanks for your help/advice !

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ptarmigan

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Re: Kale
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2015, 10:21 »
I've usually found that birds ignore kale if there's anything more to their liking about, it doesn't seem to be on the pigeon's top 10. 

But if it was the first thing I'd planted out with not much else about, it might be worth putting some netting over them to discourage interest.

I've never had a problem with Cabbage Whites and Kale - they seem to bypass it in favour of other things. 

Generally, for me, quite a trouble free crop.

The cabbages I just planted out a couple of weeks ago though, completely stripped, presumably by birds, so going to net the next lot I plant out.

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TheWhiteRabbit

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Re: Kale
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2015, 15:52 »
Depends what sort of kale it is. It seems that if it's curly kale, they'll leave it well alone...if it's cavolo nero kale, they'll gobble it up at a moments notice!

It's worth putting up a debris netting, blue tube protection device though - helps protect against pigeons and caterpillers.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2015, 15:53 by TheWhiteRabbit »

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ARPoet

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Re: Kale
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2015, 16:39 »
I have only just sown my kale so they will not be ready to plant out until the end of June. I will then plant out in the middle of my runner beans as i dont want them to grow too fast. Once the beans are all done the kale should be growing nicely ready for eating after Christmas. I have done this for years.
Roger.

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AnneB

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Re: Kale
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2015, 20:36 »
Depends what sort of kale it is. It seems that if it's curly kale, they'll leave it well alone...if it's cavolo nero kale, they'll gobble it up at a moments notice!

It's worth putting up a debris netting, blue tube protection device though - helps protect against pigeons and caterpillers.

I think pigeons in different place have different tastes.   The pigeons in our area ignore cavolo nero completely until the depths of winter when there is nothing else to eat.    They will however strip a young standard type cabbage within hours.

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Anton

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Re: Kale
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2015, 21:13 »
I planted some kale plants about a week ago and the slugs have been nipping at them already.
On a side note. I had some lovely kale plants in the garden all through the winter. Come spring they started to throw out some lovely new tender leaves and then they were ravaged. I thought it was the slugs but a fellow gardener said she had seem some birds attacking the plants!

Anton

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NewSteve

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Re: Kale
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2015, 17:48 »
The pigeons had a feast from our broccoli and curly kale this winter. Luckily I covered them in time and they both recovered - unlike the cabbages.

I won't be leaving any brassciacs uncovered this year.
Never stop learning

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Headgardener22

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Re: Kale
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2015, 17:56 »
Nobody mentions whitefly as a pest, maybe I'm just unlucky but my kale is always smothered in whitefly and it can't be washed off so its basically inedible. Given it up (unless somebody has an idea of what to do).

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Annen

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Re: Kale
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2015, 18:08 »
Nobody mentions whitefly as a pest, maybe I'm just unlucky but my kale is always smothered in whitefly and it can't be washed off so its basically inedible. Given it up (unless somebody has an idea of what to do).
I gave up too with brassica because of all the things that seem to like munching on it, and whitefly was one of the things I couldn't do anything about. I used insect netting but it didn't stop the whitefly, I tried horticultural soap but then didn't fancy eating the leaves after.
Anne

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surbie100

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Re: Kale
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2015, 18:24 »
Nobody mentions whitefly as a pest, maybe I'm just unlucky but my kale is always smothered in whitefly and it can't be washed off so its basically inedible. Given it up (unless somebody has an idea of what to do).

I didn't get any on my kale when I grew it under enviromesh with my leeks. Clean as a whistle, bar the mini-slugs..

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Beetroot Queen

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Re: Kale
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2015, 19:49 »
My kale always get horrible white fly but I am trying again. I'll be cursing I am sure when I dont get any to eat

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LandShark

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Re: Kale
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2015, 22:02 »
We've got pigeons next door but they don't bother with the kale. It's the slugs I battle, apart from slug pellets I've started using copper collars round the base and that's helped. I bought copper sticky tape and used that but the war continues!

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Mr Dog

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Re: Kale
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2015, 23:28 »
We just cook it, eat it and ignore the whitefly.....

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al78

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Re: Kale
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2015, 23:32 »
We just cook it, eat it and ignore the whitefly.....

That is what I do, it is extra protein, isn't it.

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TheWhiteRabbit

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Re: Kale
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2015, 11:06 »
Quote
Nobody mentions whitefly as a pest, maybe I'm just unlucky but my kale is always smothered in whitefly and it can't be washed off so its basically inedible.

Again, there's a marked difference between curly kale and something like cavolo nero with whitefly. I grew cavolo nero and it got horribly infested with whitefly last year. Plot neighout grew curly kale and they didn't touch it!



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