Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
question about Kale Toplef10question about Kale 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

question about Kale I22gcj10question about Kale 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
question about Kale Toplef10question about Kale 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

question about Kale I22gcj10question about Kale 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]
Square Foot Gardening Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 

 


Rechercher Advanced Search

Latest topics
» Onions. Walk on?
by OhioGardener Today at 9:25 am

» Bokashi
by OhioGardener Today at 8:13 am

» New to SFG and in Virgina
by sanderson Today at 1:38 am

» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 10:38 am

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/26/2024, 5:56 pm

» 6 metal trellis frames
by docachna 3/25/2024, 4:31 pm

» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm

» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 3/24/2024, 1:28 pm

» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener 3/23/2024, 6:02 pm

» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by neefer 3/23/2024, 12:33 am

» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by CantersVary 3/22/2024, 7:50 pm

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/22/2024, 5:07 pm

» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by OhioGardener 3/22/2024, 2:09 pm

» Victory Garden Reboot
by Scorpio Rising 3/22/2024, 11:53 am

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/22/2024, 11:43 am

» Commercial (bagged or bulk) compost question
by Mikesgardn 3/21/2024, 7:09 pm

» Think Spring 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/20/2024, 10:34 am

» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by sanderson 3/19/2024, 4:51 pm

» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener 3/18/2024, 10:34 am

» Happy St. Patrick's Day
by Scorpio Rising 3/17/2024, 5:54 pm

» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 3/11/2024, 10:28 am

» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 3/10/2024, 8:38 pm

» Why I love Oregano in the garden.
by OhioGardener 3/10/2024, 8:16 am

» Comfrey
by OhioGardener 3/9/2024, 6:07 pm

» Sealing Barrels Flowers Struggling-Need Ideas
by Turan 3/9/2024, 3:09 pm

» Hello again from a slightly different part of Central PA!
by sanderson 3/9/2024, 1:46 pm

» Chicken manure compost
by Oopsiedaisy 3/8/2024, 7:56 pm

» Chinese Broccoli
by sanderson 3/7/2024, 10:28 pm

» Heat Mat Lifespan
by Scorpio Rising 3/7/2024, 9:33 am

» Now is The Time To Take Seed Inventory
by OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 4:36 pm

Google

Search SFG Forum

question about Kale

+5
plantoid
Nonna.PapaVino
quiltbea
givvmistamps
GWN
9 posters

Go down

question about Kale Empty question about Kale

Post  GWN 4/23/2012, 9:51 am

Living in zone 5a I was surprised that my spinach overwintered and just started growing.
But even more so with my kale.
Stalks that clearly looked dead in the winter just started producing.
They look a bit different from originally... What gives?question about Kale Dsc_0144

They are kind of pretty too, is kale a perennial, or is this like the carrot seeding on the second year?
GWN
GWN

Posts : 2804
Join date : 2012-01-14
Age : 67
Location : british columbia zone 5a

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  givvmistamps 4/23/2012, 11:56 am

Did you have a mild winter? Kale is supposed to taste better once it's been touched by frost a few times; I read that it's a great crop for winter...but I would've thought with the more severe winters of the NW might be killers for those.

My knowledge of cold-hardy crops is strongly lacking since I have the opposite problem; I need heat and humidity hardy crops! Kale and other cold-hardy crops might not even like the winter we just had...it was far milder than normal.
givvmistamps
givvmistamps

Female Posts : 862
Join date : 2012-04-01
Age : 52
Location : Lake City, (NE) FL; USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, AHS Heat Zone 9, Sunset Zone 28

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  quiltbea 4/23/2012, 1:37 pm

I don't let my brassicas, kale among them, overwinter since I pull out the crop and add a little lime to prevent clubroot in the soil.

It is my understanding that brassicas can over-winter but they are going into seed-saving mode the 2nd year and will be bitter to eat.

True, many taste better after a frost of two in the early winter, having sweetened up, but that doesn't last. Unless its a variety bred specifically to sleep over the winter and produce its crop in the early spring (and there's more of those lately), an over-wintered crop turns bitter and just wants to produce seeds.

Any experts out there to tell us more?
quiltbea
quiltbea

Female Posts : 4712
Join date : 2010-03-21
Age : 81
Location : Southwestern Maine Zone 5A

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Nonna.PapaVino 4/23/2012, 1:50 pm

Yep, Quiltbea, you are correct in almost all you wrote, except for eating your brassica flower shoots in spring. Yes, they do produce a bitter compound, but it's easily leached away in about 4-5 minutes of rapidly boiling water. Then drain and quickly cool the shoots and use them as you would purchased broccoli raab. We've eaten a lot of kale 'raab' this spring, and it's delicious. Finely chop a clove or two of your home-grown garlic. Heat a skillet, add some olive oil and warm it; add the garlic and let it fully infuse the oil (just don't let it burn). Then drop your raabs into the pan, flipping them to fully 'dress' them with the garlic oil. When the raabs are hot, squeeze a bit of lemon on them, add a touch of sea salt, and serve. Or use them as an addition to pasta in the Italian way. Just Google recipes using broccoli raab and go for it.
avatar
Nonna.PapaVino

Female Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  plantoid 4/23/2012, 4:19 pm

I love the slightly bitter taste of well overwintered kale , it is similar to brussel sprout tops and over wintered dark spring cabbages .

It all goes great with oven roasted potatoes , oven roasted whole chicken or turkey that has a few sprigs of rosemary inserted under the skin , along with some fresh lightly boiled carrots and 1 inch thick leeks in a thin home made gravy made from the stock off the roast.
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  walshevak 4/23/2012, 5:29 pm

The kale I planted last spring survived the hot dry summer and overwintered under hoops this year. I kept it going until it started to put out yellow flowers. Then I pulled it because I needed the squares. By then my new kale was up and into the garden.

Kay

____________________________

A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Find more about Weather in Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
avatar
walshevak

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Nonna.PapaVino 4/23/2012, 6:08 pm

Oh, Plantoid, your roasted chicken and potatoes sounds SOOO good. question about Kale 959632 Dang, too bad the meatloaf is already in the oven.
avatar
Nonna.PapaVino

Female Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  plantoid 4/24/2012, 5:04 pm

One of my little books says kale is a slow growing cool climate crop , what sort of varieties are you using in the warmer areas??
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  walshevak 4/24/2012, 6:39 pm

I used the Winterbor variety. Also trying Redbor this year.

Kay

____________________________

A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Find more about Weather in Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
avatar
walshevak

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Nonna.PapaVino 4/24/2012, 8:30 pm

Being as how we first saw Tuscan kale (aka nero di Toscana) in Tuscany, it appears to be tolerant of a wide range of temperatures. It's also one of the most delicious of the kales. Also known as Lancinato Kale, or (my grandkids' favorite): Dinosaur Kale. You might give it a try. Looks nothing like "our grandmothers' kale," the leaves are so dark a green to look almost black. Instead of palm-like leaves, they have plume-shaped leaves. An important ingredient to Italian Wedding Soup. In fact, with the ribs stripped out and the leaf chopped up, when cooked in a soup they turn smooth, rich and unctuous. Hey, can you tell it's my favorite kale? Nonna
avatar
Nonna.PapaVino

Female Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  walshevak 4/24/2012, 11:11 pm

I'm trying the dinasaur kale this year. Got 2 squares going.

Kay

____________________________

A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Find more about Weather in Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
avatar
walshevak

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Nonna.PapaVino 4/24/2012, 11:18 pm

How many did you plant to a square? Depending on the strain, they can get really big.
avatar
Nonna.PapaVino

Female Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  walshevak 4/24/2012, 11:27 pm

Planted 3 but am willing to pull one if they start getting too big.

Kay

____________________________

A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Find more about Weather in Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
avatar
walshevak

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Nonna.PapaVino 4/24/2012, 11:34 pm

Or just keep harvesting the bottom 4 or 5 leaves from each plant each time you want kale for dinner, and keep them growing upright instead of sprawling. Eventually, though, they'll want to throw off side shoots and will become quite bushy. Nice thing about heirloom Tuscan Kale is, if you grow it away from other kinds of kale, you can let a shoot go to seed and plant the seeds. I like that in a vegetable, don't you?
avatar
Nonna.PapaVino

Female Posts : 1437
Join date : 2011-02-07
Location : In hills west of St. Helens, OR

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  walshevak 4/24/2012, 11:42 pm

I have some redbor kale in a flower garden that is blooming now. Hope to get some seed as the redbor seed is twice the price of the green. Never let the green kale go to seed this year.

So far I have had cilantro and dill reseed, and I saved some seed from the yellow cayenne pepper last year. Started 6 seeds and have managed to not kill 3 plants.

Kay

____________________________

A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Find more about Weather in Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
avatar
walshevak

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Turan 4/25/2012, 1:55 pm

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Being as how we first saw Tuscan kale (aka nero di Toscana) in Tuscany, it appears to be tolerant of a wide range of temperatures. It's also one of the most delicious of the kales. Also known as Lancinato Kale, or (my grandkids' favorite): Dinosaur Kale. You might give it a try. Looks nothing like "our grandmothers' kale," the leaves are so dark a green to look almost black. Instead of palm-like leaves, they have plume-shaped leaves. An important ingredient to Italian Wedding Soup. In fact, with the ribs stripped out and the leaf chopped up, when cooked in a soup they turn smooth, rich and unctuous. Hey, can you tell it's my favorite kale? Nonna

This is my new to growing and eating plant this year. I am at a loss as to why kale is new to me. A friend told me to start with Lancinato because it is the tastiest.
Any words of wisdom growing it?
I figure they need 18" squares like the DeCiccio broccoli?
Turan
Turan

Female Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  GWN 4/25/2012, 3:33 pm

Or just keep harvesting the bottom 4 or 5 leaves from each plant each time you want kale for dinner

This is the only way I have harvested Kale and seem to have lots of Kale all summer for a big dish once a week at least. http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/deep-dish-skillet-pizza/

This recipe calls for LOTS of Kale, and the pizza even freezes well for awhile.
Since I just pick away the outer leaves, I am wondering if I could get away with more than just one plant per square, which is what I currently have cplanted
GWN
GWN

Posts : 2804
Join date : 2012-01-14
Age : 67
Location : british columbia zone 5a

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  camprn 4/25/2012, 5:03 pm

I plant my kale 1 per square and harvest the leaves when they get about 10"-12" long. Harvest from the bottom up. Here is what my kale looked like in October.

question about Kale Img_1310

____________________________

43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost

There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books



question about Kale WxBanner?bannertype=wu_clean2day_cond&airportcode=KEEN&ForcedCity=Keene&ForcedState=NH&zipcode=03431&language=EN
camprn
camprn

Forum Moderator Certified SFG Teacher

Female Posts : 14169
Join date : 2010-03-06
Age : 61
Location : Keene, NH, USA ~ Zone 5a

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-week

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  plantoid 4/25/2012, 5:53 pm

Strewth Camp you been reading " Jack and the beanstalk " ? You could substitute those kale and brussels for the bean stalks.

I've used dwarf curly kale that has overwintered , you could run three plants across two adjoining squares with no over spill . max height about 18 inches when it runs to seed in a few weeks time.

I hope the Brussels sprouts I'm growing as transplants will also be a dwarf 2 foot max height variety even in MM . The tops would be over seven feet off the ground if i grtew the same sort as you in my raised beds .
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  GWN 4/25/2012, 6:01 pm

Hi Camp that is a great example of what I do, however I have never taken the leaves that high up, but it is great to know you can.
You can really see how the two plants are related with that picture
GWN
GWN

Posts : 2804
Join date : 2012-01-14
Age : 67
Location : british columbia zone 5a

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Turan 5/3/2012, 1:37 am

camprn wrote:I plant my kale 1 per square and harvest the leaves when they get about 10"-12" long. Harvest from the bottom up. Here is what my kale looked like in October.

question about Kale Img_1310

Thanks, duly noted. We bought a bag of new greens from over wintered kale, they were very tasty quickly wilted with garlic in olive oil. I bet one could use the big leaves to roll dolma Very Happy
Turan
Turan

Female Posts : 2616
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  GWN 5/3/2012, 10:22 am

I bet one could use the big leaves to roll dolma

HMMMMM or anything else for that matter, perhaps like cabbage rolls
GWN
GWN

Posts : 2804
Join date : 2012-01-14
Age : 67
Location : british columbia zone 5a

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  sanderson 3/4/2017, 12:55 pm

The SFG Foundation posted this today. http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/vegetables/growing-kale-collards-zw0z1401zsto

____________________________

Find more about Weather in Fresno, CA
Click for weather forecast
sanderson
sanderson

Forum Administrator

Female Posts : 21495
Join date : 2013-04-21
Age : 75
Location : Fresno CA Zone 8-9

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&

Back to top Go down

question about Kale Empty Re: question about Kale

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum