![]() Instead of boiling, try preparing it like spinach steamed with butter and only the water that clings to the leaves after washing. You can also cook it in a little water and serve it with butter, lemon juice, and chopped bacon. Young kale makes a distinctive salad green dress it simply with oil and vinegar. Detailed information on storing and preserving is given in Part 3. You can also freeze, can, or dry it use the recipes for greens. It will store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to one week, or in a cold, moist place for up to three weeks. If possible, leave kale in the garden until you want to eat it. But harvest kale before it gets old and tough. As the plants mature, take outside leaves, leaving the inner ones to grow, or cut off the entire plant. A 10-foot row will produce about 10 plants. Time from planting to harvest is 55 days from transplants, 70 to 80 days from seed. Detailed information on pest control is given in “Keeping Your Garden Healthy” in Parti. Kale does not suffer too much from pests, so it’s a good choice for the organic gardener. Cutworms, cabbage loopers, and imported cabbage worms can all be controlled by spraying with bacillus thuringiensis, an organic product also known as Dipel or Thungicide. The cabbage family’s traditional enemies are cutworms andĬaterpillars. Regular watering keeps kale growing strongly and prevents it from getting tough. Detailed information on fertilizing is given in “Spadework: The Essential Soil” in Part 1.Ībundant soil moisture and cool moist air are needed for the best growth. Fertilizing and wateringįertilize before planting and again at midseason, at the same rate as the rest of the garden. Thin them when they’re big enough to lift by the true leaves, and either transplant the thinned seedlings or eat them right away. If you’re planting seeds, set them half an inch deep and space them three inches apart. Plant the seedlings eight to 12 inches apart, in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. If the transplants are leggy or have crooked stems, plant them deeply (up to the first leaves) so they won’t grow to be top-heavy. Plant transplants that are four to six weeks old, with four or five true leaves. Use about a pound of nitrogen fertilizer for a 10-foot row. If you have sandy soil or your area is subject to heavy rains, you’ll probably need to supplement the nitrogen content of the soil. When you’re preparing the soil for planting, work in a complete, well-balanced fertilizer at the rate of one pound per 100 square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Usually grown from transplants except where there is a long cool period, in which case seed can be sown directly in the garden in fall for winter harvest. Kale likes fertile, well-drained soil with pH within the 6.5 to 7.5 range this discourages disease and lets the plant make the most of the nutrients in the soil. The leaves are attractive, and their color is at its best in cool fall weather. Direct-seed in the fall.įlowering varieties of kale can be planted in containers or as accent points in a flower bed. ![]() Plant kale from transplants early in the spring and again in the midsummer if your summers aren’t too hot. In the South, plant for harvest in late fall or winter. ![]() In mild climates, plant for late spring or early fall harvest. If your area has cold winters, plant for summer to early fall harvest. Time plantings so that you can harvest kale during cool weather. Kale does best in a cool growing season with day temperatures under 80☏. All cole crops are frost-hardy and can tolerate low 20☏ temperatures. Kale doesn’t tolerate heat as well as the collard - which it resembles in being one of the oldest members of the cabbage or cole family. Frost even improves the flavor, and kale is better adapted for fall planting throughout a wide area of the United States than any other vegetable. Kale is a cool-weather crop that grows best in the fall and will last through the winter as far north as Maryland and central Indiana. There are also decorative forms with lavender and silver variegated leaves. Scotch kale has gray-green leaves that are extremely crumpled and curly Siberian or blue kale usually is less curly and is a bluer shade of green. It’s a member of the cabbage family and looks ![]() Kale is a hardy biennial plant grown as an annual. Common names: kale, borecole, collards, green cabbage, German greensīotanical name: Brassica oleracea acephalaĭwarf Blue Curled (55 days) Dwarf Blue Scotch (55 days) Vate (55 days) Dwarf Green Curled (60 days). ![]()
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