Blog Contributed by Stephen McClain
Does the winter blues have your garden in its grips? Now that the spectacular colors of fall have faded away into bare winter branches, your garden might need some sprucing up. It’s time to add some color back to your foliage– try ornamental cabbage & kale!
Ornamental cabbage & kale are extremely cold-tolerant and are amazing cool weather bloomers. Plus, they come in a variety of colors, ranging from white to pinks, purples or reds. So, you can customize your garden in an incredible array that will brighten up your winter landscape. These wonderful brassica also pair well with fall annuals like pansies and violas. And ornamental cabbages tend to grow well in bed plantings or in containers.
If you plan on growing your own ornamental beauties here are a few tips. Kale seeds require light for germination, so don’t cover them with soil. It is best to sow kale seeds directly into the garden, where they are to grow. The exact timing for sowing and planting will depend on your local conditions, but try to sow your seeds about six to ten weeks before the first anticipated frost.
Although cabbage seeds can be sown indoors at any time of the year, without cool temperatures the plants won’t get much color. For starting seeds indoors, we recommend that they be sown directly into a large 6-8 inch pot. Once the seeds of ornamental cabbage are sown, place the flat or pot in the refrigerator for 3 days to expedite germination. Choosing kale over cabbage? You can skip the refrigeration.
Try out ornamental cabbage & kale in your winter garden! Let us know how your colorful creations turn out by posting on our Facebook!
In addition to being a manager on the landscaping maintenance, installation and turf management team at Great Estates Landscaping, Stephen McClain is a sports fanatic who enjoys spending time in nature and doing outdoor activities with his family.