Growing green has never been easier as kale, peas and mint make great little garden mates
Kale is one of those vegetables that has come back into fashion in recent years and one variety in particular Cavolo Nero, or Italian black kale, sells for a fine price in the supermarket. Packed with nutrients and tasty when stir-fried, this is one superfood that doesn’t behave like a diva, in fact it is very easy to grow and will withstand cold weather. If you aren’t already growing it from seed, then you should be able to find small plants which you can bring on, ready to harvest from December through to April.
During autumn you can earth-up the soil around the plants to prevent wind rock, but on very exposed sites you may have to stake them. Otherwise kale will just get on and do its stuff, untroubled by the pests that affect other members of the brassica family.
The key to really tasty kale is to pick young leaves after they have been touched by frost, as this cold treatment sweetens them. Old leaves are tough and bitter. Compared to kale, peas may seem a bit boring, but they are not and if you want to maintain a supply of peas through September and October, then sow seed now, choosing a variety such as Kelvedon, Pioneer or one of the other first early wrinkled varieties.
Choose good soil in a sunny spot in the garden and apply a general-purpose fertiliser shortly before sowing. Protect the seeds from birds and put supports in place when the peas are around 8cm high. When the pods develop pick these regularly as any left on the plant will slow down production. If that means taking lots off at the one time, then you can always freeze the excess as peas frozen within minutes of picking retain all the flavour and goodness that they had when they were fresh.
When cooking peas you can always pop a sprig of home-grown mint into the water with them. There are so many different kinds of mint that you could serve up a different flavour every time. Just make sure that, unlike the peas which like to have their roots in the soil, you keep the mint under control by growing it in a bucket. Cut the bottom off, sink this into the ground and your mint will flourish without running amok.