Kale

The recommended season for planting kale seeds is spring ou fall, since cool temperatures are common in these periods. The mature plants can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 to 20°F, but we advise not to leave them outside in colder seasons.

Remember to never leave your kale seedlings fully exposed to summer’s worst heat, because it can be a trigger bolting and seed-stalk formation.

• Kale grows best in full sun, because is a leafy plant. Veggies that need to grow leaves must receive more than 6 hours of sunlight daily so they can thrive beautifully.
• The seedlings also like a fertile soil to grow fast and produce tender leaves. If you feel like fertilizing your kale plant, make a soil test with nitrogen-rich amendments and make sure that its pH is at 6.5 to 6.8 to discourage clubroot disease.
• Spring-planted kales may still small until the warmer temperatures trigger a vigorous growth, so be patient!
• Kale seedlings and plants love water! Really, they do! So provide them with a nice supply of about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. You can use a rain gauge to measure the amount of liquid and sprinkle the right measure.
  

Did you plant your kale seedlings in spring? Wait until fall, when they reach their sweetest point and get ready to harvest!

Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of a hand. You can proudly harvest your kale leaves by picking the oldest ones from the lowest section of the plants. Try to discard the ones that are too yellowed or ragged.

As any leafy green, you can store your kale leaves in a plastic bag or a glass recipient and leave in a refrigerator. It should last about 1 week before becoming bitter.

Visit our exclusive recipe blog and check out amazing meals that you can prepare with kale herbs:

Check out amazing recipes