As I finish my first planting in my garden this year I stopped to look at my crops and marvel in the different produce I grow. I have often been told my gardens are like a museum. Between the history of the seeds and the different uses for many of my crops, my gardens are interesting.
Another one of my unique crops is a “walking stick” plant. What sets this crop apart from several of my other crops it that it can be used as an edible crop but each plant also can be dried later in the season for crafting a walking stick.
The plant starts out like a cabbage plant and you harvest the leaves to use in salads. As you harvest the leaves the plant grows taller and develops a thick stem. As the season passes the stem will get 4 to 6 foot tall depending on when you planted it and the length of your growing season. You can also bend and pin the bottom the stem down to the ground in such a way as to make a natural cane top and it will dry in this form.
The plant has a very exotic look and will get many comments. They also make great walking stick for those who like to craft items from natural items. The stick will have a rippled look because of the where the leaves grew on the stem.
This plant grows best in The US Zones 3 to 8. It needs a long enough season to grow to 4 to 6 foot tall but doesn’t like intense heat of the southern states. This is another crop I don’t grow every year but it add such fun to a garden or yard. It’s worth growing once just to see what happens.
Tags: heirloom seed, craft your own walking stick, grow your own walking stick, unusual seeds,
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