jescafresca
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Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:26 pm

ornamental kale

I bought an ornamental kale a few months ago, and its the first plant I've ever managed to keep alive. :-() But its getting really tall (about 3 feet). :eek: I travel for a living and thought I was buying a short, bushy plant at the time. Is there a way to keep my plant from growing so tall so quickly? Or, should I just find a bigger container that won't get knocked over easily?

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Kisal
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

The size of the plant will differ, depending on the variety. The tallest I've heard of reaches 3'.

How large is the pot it's in now? I think you could transplant it into a larger pot, but you don't want one too big. For a 3' tall plant, I would probably choose a clay or ceramic container 8 or 10 inches in diameter. Clay and ceramic containers are significantly heavier than plastic. Be sure to choose one with drainage holes. I would try to find one with a broad base, such as the type sold as azalea pots and bulb pans. It will look similar to this:

[img]https://assets.newmediaretailer.com/0/316/web_535094.jpg[/img]

If you feel you need to add even more weight to the container, you can put about 2" of gravel in the bottom, before filling it with soil, although I no longer do that. A clay or ceramic container with a broad base is usually sufficient, unless your plant is exposed to winds.

I like to put a piece of non-metal screening, such as is used for window screens, in the bottom of the pot. I just cut it to fit. It helps keep soil from washing out the drainage holes and prevents insects from entering through the drainage holes.

Be sure to use a potting mix, not soil from the yard or garden. Potting mixes are designed to have the excellent drainage container-grown plants require.

And a very warm welcome to the forum! We're glad you're here! :)

jescafresca
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:26 pm

Thanks a bunch for your help! And I love the Douglas Adams quote- he's one of my favorite authors. :D



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