Kale is a super vegetable which is ideally picked as baby leaves or can be left to mature. It is an excellent source of of vitamin C and A. It is also simple to grow and has exceptional hardiness. A great variety is ‘Nero di Toscana‘ which is as dark a leaf as possible. Harvest from June to March but most commonly it is a classic winter vegetable. Kale is also known as borecole in other countries. Easier to grow than a cabbage amazingly.
Sowing Outdoors
Sow directly and thinly into a moist, finely-prepared seed bed, 1cm to 1.5cm deep. Keep between 25cm and 45cm spacings between rows. The distance depends on how much support can be given. Seedlings will appear within 14 and 28 days. Earliest sowings from March through to May.
Sowing Indoors
For mature plants, sow seeds 0.5cm deep into a tray of compost and keep them moist and warm ideally at 15ºC. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them to other trays, 5cm apart, and harden them off until they can be planted out 45cm apart.
Harvest
To harvest baby leaves only, no thinning is required and these can be harvested from June onwards. Keep the soil moist during growth and sow every two or three weeks until September for a continuous supply.
To grow mature leaves, just thin the seedlings to 45cm apart. Transplant where the roots are deeper than before to allow for greater stability. Harvest kale between January and April.
Enjoy the leaves raw or cooked. The leaves are excellent in superfood recipes such as kale risottos. There is an excellent kale salad to be had and of course a famous Tuscan kale soup with sausage.
Varieties
Dwarf Green Curled – Purchase seeds from Mr Fothergills. A popular variety of curly kale which is appealing in both its looks and versatility. It thrives even in windy conditions and an excellent choice for anyone plugging gaps in exposed gardens. Extremely hardy.
Nero di Toscana – a classic variety which is excellent in pasta sauces for example. Purchase seeds from Mr Fothergills.
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