Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

October 11, 2001

The light frost earlier this week is a friendly reminder that colder weather is fast approaching. Even though chrysanthemums are now at their best showing full bloom, their colorful splendor we enjoy at this time of the year will be lost in a few weeks. Extending color to compliment fall leaf color has always been a challenge for both home gardeners and landscape designers.

Pansies are obviously a viable choice for continuous fall color. However, there is a renewed interest in growing ornamental vegetables such as flowering cabbage and kale.These old friends make the perfect compliment for pansy beds adding a rainbow of color and bold textures to bare winter landscapes.

These plants of the Brassica family (edible cabbage and kale) are very showy with a variety of colors, from white through pink or red, with a leaved center and green outer leaves. Plants can grow to about one foot in diameter and can reach over 15 inches tall depending on the time of planting. The cooler temperatures experienced in Rowan County over the past few weeks helps amplify the plants' leaf color. Bed preparation is important for successful fall plantings.Clay soils should be tilled at least 6 inches deep with soil amendments of ground bark, compost and PermaTil. Raised beds are important for pansies and cabbage not only to express color but aid in growth response due to improved drainage textures.

The root system of the flowering cabbage and kale as well as pansies is very sparse therefore; ample fertilization is necessary for continued growth. Avoid using too much nitrogen fertilizer, especially in unseasonably warm weather.High nitrogen rates take color away from the foliage of cabbage and kale.Pansy plants stretch and become weak when over-fertilized with excessive nitrogen fertilizer.Use high phosphate, water-soluble fertilizers regularly during cool weather.Avoid fertilization in during periods of unseasonably warm weather.

It is important to mulch pansies, cabbage and kale with three or inches of fine pine bark or pine needles. Mulch protects from heaving due to constant freezing and thawing as well as moisture retention.

Flowering cabbage and kale have the same pests as edible cabbages and kale so you may follow the same instructions for insect control for the ornamentals as you would for edible cabbages.Unless you have a serious outbreak, your problems should be minimal.

Even though these flowering plants are close cousins to our edible vegetables, they are not edible. Some authorities indicate that the leaves can be eaten, cooked or raw; but othersproclaim they could cause vomiting and diarrhea if eaten raw and in quantity by small children. According to researchers, the roots of the plant are most dangerous.