Kale

Kale (Brassica oleracea ) is a member of the Cabbage family and produces an abundance of leafy greens. The great thing about Kale is that it grows vigorously and is much more pest-resistant than cabbages. Kale is packed with nutrients and antioxidants and can be used raw or cooked similar to lettuce or spinach.

What parts of Kale are edible?

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PLANT

Autumn – Spring

SOIL

Fertile, well-drained soil. Plenty of compost.

LOCATION

Full sun – part shade position.

CARE

Regular watering.

FERTILISE

Benefits from regular compost and natural fertilizers.

PESTS

Slaters, slugs, aphids, snails, and green caterpillars/ cabbage moth.

HARVEST

Harvest the outer leaves as the plant grows or cut the mature plant off and allow new growth to form.

REPRODUCE

Kale is Bi-annual so seeds usually form in the summer or second season.

Why Grow Kale?

Kale is a fantastic crop for beginner gardeners or those wanting a low-maintenance edible garden. Kale is hardy and grows well in many different conditions.

Here are some of the many reasons to grow Kale:

Easy to grow
Versatile produce
Low maintenance
Bulk up salads
Nutritious smoothies
Less susceptible to pests
Visual Aesthetics
Supports Immune health
Rich in Vitamin C,K,E
Can be eaten raw or cooked

Popular Kale Varieties

‘Tuscan / Tuscano’ – Heirloom variety. Produces long dark green, palm-like leaves. Popular for flavour and texture.

‘Red Russian’ – Silvery green curly leaves with striking purple veins. Young leaves are good raw and older leaves are better cooked. Great for microgreens.

‘Siberian‘ – Green curly leaves. Mild sweet flavour. Hardy and prolific.

‘Scarlet‘ – Bright purple frilly leaves. Colour deepens with cool weather. Nutritious and ornamental.

When to Plant Kale

Kale is best planted from the end of Summer to Spring. Flavour improves with cool weather. In summer plants can get covered in aphids and caterpillars and the flavour is less palatable.

How to Grow Kale

Plant seeds into seed trays first (young kale is popular with pests) and transplant them in a sunny location once they have 4-5 leaves.
Dig in compost and composted manure to feed the soil.
Kale has shallow roots so add mulch to keep retain moisture and regulate temperature.

Care/ Maintenance

Keep Kale well-watered and keep an eye out for pests.

Pests / Disease

Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Older plants can suffer from aphids and green caterpillars, especially in warmer months. Use natural pest management.

How/ When to Harvest

The best time to harvest your Kale is during the coldest months. This is when the flavour is at its best! Harvest a few of the bottom leaves off each plant to allow continuous growth. Towards the end of winter/ early spring, you can cut the Kale plants off just leaving the stalk in the ground. This will reshoot multiple side shoots for a new harvest into Spring.

Reproducing

Kale is biennial so it will go to flower and produce seeds in its second season/ year or if the weather gets too warm. If your Kale does go to flower, wait until the flowers turn into seed pods and once they start to dry and turn brown they can be harvested. Keep the seed pods somewhere warm and dry until they have completely dried out. Pop open the seed pods to reveal the small Kale seeds. Keep your seeds in a dry, dark cool location.