Kale

[jal_ut]

Kale is a beautiful plant. Makes lots of greens. Plant early.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/kale.jpg[/img]

Kale

[gumbo2176]

I love Kale and have a good bit of it in my garden. That must be a pic from last year since I've seen recent pics of your garden space, and it's all white and cold, but very picturesque.

[soil]

I love russian red kale, extremely hardy and extremely nutritious.

[digitS']

I like it but kale is a little tough.

I'm not sure why I like the flavor. Once I got past Mom's tendency to overcook the kale (and most everything else she cooked on the stove ), I discovered that kale is very tasty.

It is tuff enuf to withstand extremely cold winter temperatures. Some folks say that the frosts of autumn actually improves kale but I like it from the get-go. Just snap off the old leaves and leave 'em in the garden - and carry off those lovely ones farther up the stems. I harvest regularly.

Aphids sometime plague my cabbages - right down in the heads! They seem to like kale too but, even with the savoyed varieties, the aphids on kale are a lot easier to hit with a little soap spray. And, if you start finding a few of those pesty green bugs on the harvested kale leaves - that kale toughness can be of help. Just do as I do:

I've got the basin of fresh water out on the lawn and the kale leaves have been floating in there a few minutes. Okay now: dunk, dunk, dunk then slap, slap, slap! Dunk in the water and slap on the side of the basin!

No tender green that you can bruise just looking at it: kale comes thru this abuse just fine . You can even bag the leaves and store them in the crisper drawer for a few days -- they are in great shape!

Now, if I could have just remembered to include that Couve Tronchuda (Portuguese Kale) seed in my order from Johnny's . I was a little uncertain looking at the photo's. The stuff looked rather like cabbage. I just had to be clear about the fact that the aphids wouldn't be able to hide.

Steve

[garden5]

I eat kale, but have never planted it. I'm going to have to give it a try. I see it grows very well for you (although most things do ) so I'm really considering growing some.

[JayBx25]

anyone know when the best time to plant Kale in South Carolina?

[hendi_alex]

I'm in Camden, S.C. If we have a typical winter, then kale is great to plant in the fall. This past year was so cold, that my kale just sat there, but now is growing like crazy. You can also plant kale this time of year and it will give a good crop until the hottest weather arrives in July.

The photo in the first segment of this thread shows the modern curly kind of kale. I don't care too much for it compared to the great Russian Kales like Siberian Red.

Seed savers exchange online has Russian Red.

Seeds of change online has the best selection I've found of older varieties. The have true Siberian, Red Russian, as well as Dinosaur Kale.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Alex,

I have to agree. I prefer Winter Red kale of the Red Russian types.

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Farmers%20Market%20Produce/DSC02768.jpg[/img]


Eric

[Avonnow]

I love Kale, but usually buy it, I just read an article in Mother Earth News or Organic Gardening I can't remember which, but it said it really doesn't do well in the south - that is why we have collards. They said it needs the cold for better taste - true or just exaggerated. Also are they huge plants if you grow them, I saw the photos - buy maybe it differs with type, I love Kale and I use it to make that soup they have at Olive Garden - The Zuppa Tuscana with sausage and kale (my favorite) I would love to grow it.

[alaskagold]

Avon try it in the winter time. You are lucky as you have year round gardening. Can't hurt to try it once or twice to see if it would work... right?

[soil]

ooh hendi I forgot to mention dinosaur kale, by far my second favorite under the russian red.