Tuscan kale is ornamental and delicious

By Walter Reeves

For the AJC

Q: I want to plant Tuscan kale. I found some seed in Oregon but don’t know if it would do well here. -- Donna Stenger Bohanan, DeKalb County

Enlarge photo

Walter Reeves, Special The distinctive bumpy leaves of Tuscan kale are attractive in a garden.

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A: The narrow, bumpy leaves of Tuscan kale make it a distinctive garden edible. Kale is thought to be the first cole crop to be domesticated and may have been cultivated as early as 2000 BC. It is one of the most nutritious vegetables grown. Try delicious kale chips! I don't think there is any problem planting seed you buy from out of our region but Pike Nursery carries Tuscan kale seed locally.

Q: I’d like to grow a ‘Jefferson’ American elm to replace a poplar tree in the front yard. Any thoughts? -- Debbie Frischknecht, Lawrenceville

A: It’s rare to see a healthy American elm anymore. Most have succumbed to Dutch elm disease, transmitted by bark borers. Breeders have developed several elms that resist the disease. ‘Jefferson’ may be hard to find due to propagation difficulties. ‘Valley Forge’ was released by the National Arboretum in 1995 after it was found to be very tolerant of Dutch elm disease. Although it will exhibit occasional leaf wilting after infection, the tree seems to recover with good vigor afterwards.

Q: My sweetheart wants terribly to grow some good tobacco. Do you have tips? -- Cary Cox, e-mail

A: I grew tobacco for the first time last summer. Rather than go through the hassle of growing the plants from seed, I bought them online from New Hope Seed (www.newhopeseed.com). Pick a sunny spot and plant seedlings two feet apart. Water and fertilize regularly. Remove large leaves as they begin yellowing and cure in a warm spot for three weeks. I found more good tips at xrl.us/growtobacco.

Q: I know where some ramps are growing in Morgan County. How can I propagate them in a sunny, creekside, hardwood valley in Smynings? -- Tom Waxelbaum, e-mail

A: Ramps, Allium tricoccum, are also known as wild leeks. They grow in moist woodlands and creek bottoms in the Appalachian mountain area. Broad leaves emerge in March and April. They die back in June, followed by a flower stalk. You can collect seed and plant immediately but you won’t get anything to eat for four years. February is a great time to gently dig the plants you found and move them. Don’t harvest them until the spring after your plants have bloomed. The bulbs, stems and leaves can be chopped and added to salads or soups.

Q: I have bermuda grass in my front yard. Last year I allowed it to get a little too tall between mowings. Now that the grass is dormant, how do I get shorter, thicker grass in the spring? -- Chad Miller, Cobb County

A: The best time to get started at a new mowing height is when the bermuda grass is just beginning to show green, usually sometime in March. Cut off the brown foliage with a mowing height of one inch. Mow again when the grass is two inches tall, maintaining a height of one and one-half inches throughout the summer. Grass thickness also depends on fertilization. Use any product labeled for lawns, usually every six weeks.

Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on AM 750 and 95.5 FM News-Talk WSB. Visit his website, www.walterreeves.com, or join his Facebook Fan Page at xrl.us/wrfacebook for more garden tips.