[Grubbypaws]

OK guys and girls'; help  . It is July and my Tuscany kale planted last July is still producing more then we can safely eat; plus the freezer is getting full! There is no signs of bolting. What do I do? The space has been pre-allocated to PSB which is arriving tomorrow, what do i do? if the kale is going to bolt tomorrow, no problem but how can i kill such  productive plants?

[Sparkyrog]

A) Rip them out !

B) PSB should not be following Kale .

That is just plain wrong on a rotational system 

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

I feel your pain! But I also can't believe it's still producing. What's your secret?!!! 

If you have more than one plant could you leave one and kill the others? You could plant the PSB out and pot on the final one for a bit.

Would be interesting to know when it finally bolts-then you could save some seed from this super strain.

[bravemurphy]

My chickens would love to have it 

[compostqueen]

Make lots of stir fries and ribollita  It's good in minestrone too 

Chook owners will be grateful for them if you do grub them up. Wait to see if the psb deffo arrives though before digging them up 

[AnneB]

Is there nowhere else the PSB could go?  As Sparkyrog says, they shouldn't really follow straight on from kale as they are both brassicas.  PSB is also in the ground for a long period of time.  Growing brassicas in the same place for almost 2 years without a break  is an opportunity for pests and diseases to take hold. 

[Grubbypaws]

It is actually growing in raised bed under cover. When I planted them last year there was space in the bed and I just had thoughts of overwintering them     It was my first year of trying to use my beds over winter (I also had a bumper crop of mizuna and oriental mustard)

I am aware that I shouldn’t really put more brassica there but since it is under cover and disease free I was hoping that I would be OK? Everything I grow seems to belong to the brassica family making rotation a nightmare. Maybe I should consider a nematode solution, but they are £££.

Potty, what a super idea to save the seed. If it ever bolts i will definitely do this.

CQ, yes i will definitely wait for them to arrive first. Why oh why did I order 3 varieties; 18 plants 

[devonbarmygardener]

Pot up the Tuscan Kale into big flower pots and keep it going as long as possible.
Pick the young growth for salad.

And well done incidently - wish mine would last that long!!

[compostqueen]

I don't worry about rotation I just try not to grow veg of the same family in the same space twice in a row.

[AnneB]

I don't worry about rotation I just try not to grow veg of the same family in the same space twice in a row.

But if Grubbypaws now plants PSB directly after the kale, that is exactly what will happen.

[Yorkie]

I am aware that I shouldn’t really put more brassica there but since it is under cover and disease free I was hoping that I would be OK? Everything I grow seems to belong to the brassica family making rotation a nightmare. Maybe I should consider a nematode solution, but they are £££.

It's not just about pests.  It's about soil-borne diseases, which become more likely if you don't give the soil a break, and about nutrition - constant depletion of the same nutrients.

[Grubbypaws]

So is the consensus that even if I use Nemasys 'Grow Your Own' Multiple Pest Killer and feed the bed well I would still be foolish to plant the PSB?

If they dont go there they dont get planted as every inch of space has been used. I guess I could give them to my neighbour

[ptarmigan]

Hi. rotation is important but its not like you are farming on industrial scale depleting the soil and planting same stuff for years.there's more of a chance of disease but its worth taking as psb is so good. I'd suggest planting them rather than wasting them. give them a good feed and think about rotation when they come out. I've done that when run out of space with no problems. very impressed by your kale!

[Grubbypaws]

How many psb do folks grow? There are just 2 of us until the Christmas invasion that is 

[ptarmigan]

We had about 15 plants for 4 people. we like it and that was enough.