covo and tsunga help needed

[greenstar]

Does anyone have any experience of growing tsunga or covo?  A friend has been given some seeds and is keen to grow them to remind her of her home country (Zimbabwe) but she has no outside space at all.  I've offered to grow them on in the allotment if she germinates them, but I'm just wondering what chance they would have being sown this late in the year?  Do they need more time to grow?  Should we wait until next year?  I'm sort of thinking of sowing half of them to hedge my bets, but it would be good to know if we stand a chance of getting a picking and some more seed from a sowing now.

I suddenly feel responsible for her precious seeds and don't want them to fail.  What should I do?

Thanks

Ali

[greenstar]

[pigeonseed]

Just googling while waiting for phone call...  ;D Covo appears to be a small cabbage/kale and it might be ok over winter. Would you be able to offer it any protection if the weather gets very bad?

Tsunga is mustard greens (brassica juncea) and they grow fast, and I should think now would be a good time of year to have a go at them.

It's not first-hand knowledge I'm afraid, but I hope it helps.  :)

It's a responsible position you're in!

[greenstar]

Thanks pigeonseed - you must  have better googling skills than me cos I couldn't find anything useful.  I managed to track down a Tanzanian who told me that I could overwinter covo without too much protection.  I'll see how I get on with the tsunga.

[pigeonseed]

thanks! I waited ages for the call, and I can't stand doing nothing!

These pages might be useful: http://spore.cta.int/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=560&catid=7&lang=en

http://www.jsieurope.org/docs/growing_positively_book.pdf

and according to this site, covo's Latin name is Brassica oleracea var. acephala
http://www.acsj.info/website/images/stories/PART%202/CROP%20PROTECTION/6.pdf

although that covers collard greens and kales and other walking stick type cabbages. Having seen a photo of someone growing them in their garden in Zimbabwe, they appear to be collards or couve galega, and they grow all over the world, so should be fine. http://ddbl.org/images/Denmark_Avenue/Garden/Healthy%20covo%20in%20the%20old%20veggie%20garden%20at%20the%20back%20of%20the%20house.jpg

It's sort of my job to find things out - don't worry, I'm not a spy, I just work in the media  :)