Kale?

[BamaProud]

I friend brought me 8 young plants. I've never even eaten it much less grown it. I planted it today. Is there anything I need to know about growing it? When do you harvest?

How do you cook it? I assume its kinda like collards.

 

[Bullfrog]

I know nothing about growing it, but we always put it in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt.

 

[doubledownranch]

We love kale at my house. I don't know a thing about growing it.

 

[Chapman]

They grow like collards. It grows best in fertile soils. You pick the outside leaves off as they grow. I cook mine down with a little water and bacon grease.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I planted some dino kale this year from seeds. I planted it next to some collards (again by seed). Right now I can't tell the difference between the two. I bought the seeds from a reputable site - but they look very similar still.

 

[DaveB]

It is in same family as collards and broccoli.

I would use a cabbage/broccoli soil. I doubt any self respecting bugs bother it much at all.

I think Kale is lettuce trying to grow up and become cabbage. I know people eat it, and actually like it, bunch of folks here even.

I can't stand it raw. The smell is okay I guess. My Wife thinks its healthy, is putting it in everything, If I die of Kale OD you guys will know why.

 

[Bayou Buck]

It seems easy to grow. I have it in my food plots this year. I use it in salads and soups. I also just eat it straight out the plot as a snack on the way to the stand.

 

[TAFKAP]

Roasted kale chips are good. But we just chop it into a salad with almonds, dried cranberries, & tomatoes. We always use a simple vinaigrette dressing made with lemon juice, not vinegar.

 

[catman529]

I know nothing about growing it, but we always put it in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt.

yeah kale chips are pretty good, some of the better tasting green leaf I've had other than raw cabbage

 

[Crosshairy]

look up recipes for wilted kale - bacon grease, mustard, garlic, honey...all kinds of options. Mix with spinach for some variety.

Worms will eat the leaves just like cabbage, but that is mostly a problem in the late spring/early winter. They don't like the heat, so the fall crop should actually do pretty well (less worms and good weather). A hard frost isn't too good for them, but they are fairly cold tolerant, like most greens.

 

[BamaProud]

Should I cover them this weekend when temperatures are supposed to dip to near freezing?

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I've always heard kale can be harvested underneath snow

 

[DaveB]

Some Kale information. Now, bad news is this is from the Old Farmers Almanac and as such is not trustworthy. :grin:

"
Kale is a hardy, cool-season green that is part of the cabbage family. It grows best in the spring and fall and can tolerate all fall frosts.
.
.
.
Mulch the soil heavily after the first hard freeze; the plants may continue to produce leaves throughout the winter.

'Vates', which is a hardy variety and does not yellow in cold weather. It also has curly, blue-green leaves.
'Winterbor', which resembles the 'Vates' variety, but it is frost tolerant.
"


I hope this helps.

 

[BamaProud]

Thanks Dave. The Farmers Almanac is good stuff when if comes to farming and climate normals...notsomuch for weather.

I think I'll just leave it alone and put some straw around it after the weekend.

 

[DaveB]

I sorry I poked you I just funnin

 

[BamaProud]

 

[Rollo]

My kale (and collards and turnips) did fine during the last freeze. We'll see how it does tonight....

 

[DaveB]

Well? Maybe your luck held and the Kale was ruint and the rest is okay.


I am so glad the Kale frenzy is keeping the store shelves bare. What little my Wife has been able to find she is keeping for herself, Praise God.