mbunny
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Hearty Kale

I planted some organic kale which came up ok and it even did not die over the winter (the lowest temperature was 11 degrees) Is that normal and can I cut off all the leaves to have less stalk? I think if I can keep it growing and get some seeds from it the resulting plants will be extra hearty.

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!potatoes!
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not sure I totally understand your question, but if you cut off all the leaves, you'll be left with nothing but stalk - dead ones at that. last year's plants are going to be bolting in pretty short order, but they'll do that from the top of the plant...if you want seeds, it's probably better not to cut any tops.

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rainbowgardener
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Kale and chard and other hardy greens do often over winter in milder winters and come back in spring. To get seed from it at that point, just leave it alone to bolt and put up a flower stalk.

mbunny
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Thanks for the help, I thought if I cut it down short new leaves would come back from the stump, my holly bush does that. I will leave it alone and see if I can get some good seeds.

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soil
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if you want to save seeds from it, I suggest putting it in a pot. the seeds wont be done and fully ripe for quite some time. by then you will want to put summer crops in its place. in a pot you can keep care of it on the side and let the seeds get as ripe as possible for best results when you plant them.

one year I left a few and took a few in pots, I ended up pulling the ones I left in ground out before they finished because I needed to plant something else.

Toil
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And make sure the area is free of other bolting brassicas!

(good band name there)

mbunny
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Putting in a pot sounds like a good idea, I can try that no till method and maybe plant my tomatoes there or more kale. Those aphids really seem to enjoy the kale . I am going to try garlic oil on them to keep the bugs off.

The Helpful Gardener
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Ladybugs love aphids for breakfast luch and dinner. Better results than garlic I betcha...

HG

Toil
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yeah, and it should still bolt and seed with aphids on it.

from what I have seen, it's good to have aphids around at all times. I prefer it be on weeds, but no harm no foul, right?

DoubleDogFarm
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mbunny,

Is it a Open Pollinated variety :?: It's better to save seed from a OP varieties.

mbunny
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Toil wrote:yeah, and it should still bolt and seed with aphids on it.

from what I have seen, it's good to have aphids around at all times. I prefer it be on weeds, but no harm no foul, right?
I had soooo many aphids the leaves just got all withered it was pathetic I tried washing them off but they just came back. Actually it kinda saved my tomatoes from infestation because the aphids loved the kale and collards more than anything else. I didn't seem to have many ladybugs here maybe I will buy some but the garlic barrier seemed to do the trick.



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