Successful cultivation of sea crambe

Sea cabbage is a perennial wild cabbage of the Brassicaceae family, sometimes called sea kale. It grows on the Atlantic and Baltic coasts of Western Europe. Its white flowers give off a honey-like scent . In the vegetable garden , it will remain in place for many years . While the curious and attractive foliage of sea kale is wonderful for decorating the garden, its young shoots also make a delicious and forgotten dish.

Since the dawn of time, the leaves of the sea cabbage have been harvested to enhance everyday meals. The Romans gathered them to lactoferment them (i.e., to transform them into sauerkraut) in barrels that they took with them on their various expeditions. It was then imported to France and although produced by La Quintinie (Louis XIV's gardener) in the King's vegetable garden and still featured in the catalogs of 19th-century Parisian market gardeners, this sea cabbage was never cultivated except in modest quantities. However, introduced in 1750 to England, the sea cabbage found a certain renown there and was present in most vegetable gardens 50 years later and its young shoots can be found sold in most markets.

The origin of the French word "crambe" comes from the Latin "crambe" (or "krambê") designating various species of cabbage.

The taste of crambe is not really that of cabbage but a mixture between cabbage, asparagus and cardoon.

Sea cucumber is very rich in vitamins A, B and C. As a result, it is also said to have antiscorbutic, tonic and vermifuge properties.

It is certainly due to the pressure of real estate development and human activities along the seashore that coastal flora has considerably reduced. While sea kale was once common, this is no longer the case today. As a result, it is protected throughout France. It is therefore forbidden to pull it up or pick its leaves in the wild.

• Difficulty level : 3/3
• Density : 2 to 3 plants/m².
• Life cycle : Perennial.
• Method of reproduction : Sexual or vegetative by cuttings (creation of a new individual from a fragment of the first) or by division of clumps (taking a peripheral part of the plant with its roots then replanting).
• Type of pollination : Self-pollinating.
• Weight per 1000 seeds : Approximately 33 to 49 grams.

• Climate zone and hardiness : Crambe likes mild and humid climates.
• Soil type : Light and deep soil.
• pH : Neutral or even basic soil, but definitely not acidic.
• Moisture : Well-drained soil.
• Exposure : Sunny or even partial shade.
• Frost resistance : Very hardy, crambe can withstand temperatures down to -20°C.

• Soil preparation : It is recommended to add sand to the planting soil to make it lighter and more draining.
  
• Transplanting : Transplant the plants sown in pots into the ground when they have 4 to 5 leaves.
• Watering :
  • Frequency: Regular watering.
  • Quantity: Moderate watering.
  • Period: In case of dry period only.
• Tools : Watering can.
• Hoeing / weeding / earthing up / mulching : Mulch throughout the crop to limit watering and weed growth. It is also advisable to earth up* the plants.
• Winter Protection : It is not necessary to protect the crambe from the winter cold, but you should remember to locate it. As a deciduous plant, it will disappear in winter and reappear in spring.
• Harvest period : From February to April.
• Part of the plant : The young leaves of the sea crambe are eaten.
• Stage : Harvest the leaves when they are still young, from 2 or 3 years after sowing.

Blanching, without which the natural pungency of the crambe would make it unfit for consumption, is carried out from October and throughout the winter until spring. To do this, cover the plants with a black pot, for example, to keep out light. In addition, it is advisable to remove the flower stems as soon as they appear, to encourage the vegetative development of the crambe, but also the damaged or dead leaves to avoid tiring the plant.

• Instructions: Detach the leaves from the base without damaging it and consume them immediately.
• Duration: Sea crambe does not keep.
  

• Culinary : Its young, blanched petioles are cooked like asparagus, adding them to vinaigrette, juice, or white sauce. Its blue leaves are eaten like cabbage. Its flavor is similar to cardoon and cauliflower. The still-green fruits of sea kale can be eaten like olives.
• Others : The flowers of the sea crambe are also used for their ornamental qualities.

Crambe flowers are melliferous and will therefore attract beneficial insects, such as pollinators, to the vegetable garden.