Background
Compared to its more lush cousins like bread and broccoli , Kaleis often regarded as a “ common ” vegetable , worthy only for the wintertime garden . How untrue ! The leaves are plentiful with Vitamin A & C , smoothing iron and calcium and the attractively frilled Nipponese varieties are an ornament in any garden and make a outstanding garnish on any dish . On top of that , kale ’s ability to give tender honey oil in the early spring makes it a valuable commodity when no other greens are capable to produce .
A member of the Brassica family , Kale is know botanically as Brassica oleracea motley acephala , which translate to mean “ kale of the vegetable garden without a headway ” . aboriginal to the Mediterranean , Kale has been grown as a leafy veggie for thousands of years and is think to be the ancestor of cabbage , kohlrabi , Brussels sprouts , and even the bloom brassicas such as broccoli andcauliflower .
Kale is one of the easier Brassicas to grow since it does n’t need to head like cabbage and does n’t fall over , as Brussels sprout plants incline to do . In fact , wampum prefers a slightly down fertility than simoleons since gamey nitrogen produces tender leaves that do not withstand frost well . Soil that has been manure and limed the previous twelvemonth is perfect for growing wampum .
Here on the West Coast , we usually start kale in early July so that they give a good size before the first hoarfrost in October . Adjust your starting date consequently . The plants should be spaced a lower limit of 1 metrical unit asunder but will originate in more crowded status . However , the more elbow room you give the plants , the more they will raise . Most plantsmature between 50 - 80 days .
Althoughkale is cold hardyand can survive temperatures as humble as 0 F , if meek weather condition is take after by a sudden freeze , it can pour down the plants . pass over your works with a drift row natural covering or a cloche and mulch around the plant to protect them against stop dead - thaw cycles . If temperatures do go below 0 F , you’re able to eat up the plants in mulch . Brush the mulch aside when you need to reap .
Like most wintertime veggie , the taste of kale ameliorate after the first frost . Here ’s a tip : when harvesting , cut off the leaves growing from the centre of the stalking . The larger ones at the bottom tend to be tough while the untried ones at the top are next week ’s harvesting . By about late December - other January , my kale is looking a bit tatty . However , as temperatures begin to warm up in March , a new flush of leaf growth appears on the plants and I ’m picking again . At this time , I like to fertilize with either Pisces emulsion or compost to encourage more growth . By about April , the plants begin to send up flower shoots . Do n’t fret ! These flower head have a modest broccoli discernment and if you break off the flowering head wholly , side shoot will look like in broccoli .
Varieties
In his Good Book date 1885 , Vilmorin listed 26 varieties of shekels let in folio shekels , tree kales , and marrowstem loot . Few of these varieties are still around today although heirlooms such as “ Lacinato ” are wee-wee a comeback thanks to seed save up grouping . Most kales varieties belong to 1 of 4 type : Scotch ( very curly leaves ) , Russian ( monotonous leaf , serrated edges ) , Nipponese ( cosmetic rosette type ) and Other – ( Lacinato , walk stick etc ) . Here is a list of some of my favourite varieties :
Pests
Few insect pests trouble sugar . Slugs and aphid can be hose off easily on this inflexible plant . spell Pieris rapae seems to be the only pest that will do serious damage to kale . Handpick the louse or prevent the butterfly from position its eggs by using a floating rowing cover . Otherwise , spray with BTK for an organic treatment .
Arzeena Hamiris an agronomist and President of Terra Viva Organics . When she ’s not set pea plant or picking zucchini , she answers doubt about organic gardening at : advice@tvorganics.com . you’re able to also interpret her horticulture article on Vegetable Gardening at http://www.suite101.com/
