Growing kale

GROW YOUR OWN KALE (Brassica oleracea)

Kale is a hardy, cool-season green that is part of the cabbage family. This has to be the easiest vegetable ever to grow. It thrives right through the winter; in fact, the flavour sweetens in cold weather. It grows best in the spring and fall and can tolerate all fall frosts. Kale can be used in salads or as a garnish and is rich in minerals and vitamins A and C. It is not suitable for pot growing. Kale can be grown in the border, but needs a lot of room.

Recommended Varieties

• 'Vates', which is a hardy variety and does not yellow in cold weather. It also has curly, blue-green leaves.
• 'Winterbor', which resembles the 'Vates' variety, but it is frost tolerant.
• 'Red Russian', which has red, tender leaves and is an early crop.

How To Grow

• You can plant kale anytime from early spring to early summer. If you plant kale late in the summer you can harvest it from fall until the ground freezes in winter. 
• Sow seeds thinly 13mm (1/2in) deep in a seed bed in rows 15cm (6in) apart from March to June. 
• Keep moist during germination period – seeds will start to sprout in about 5-7 days. Thin them out after a week or two so there is room for them to establish. 
• When seedlings are around 4 weeks old, plant them into the garden, with 35cm gap between plants, and if you’re doing more than one row of kale, leave about 50cm between the rows.
• Transplant the young plants to their growing position when plants have five or six true leaves, setting the lowest leaves at ground level.
• Water well the day before moving, firm in well after transplanting and 'puddle' in the plants with plenty of water. 
• Water well in dry weather and conserve soil moisture with a mulch.
• A spring feed will improve results.
• Protect the plants from birds by covering with netting or fleece.

Harvesting And Storage

• Start to remove young leaves from the top of the plant from October onwards or Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand.
• Pick about one fistful of leaves per harvest. 
• Avoid picking the terminal bud (found at the top center of the plant) because this will help to keep the plant productive.
• The small, tender leaves can be eaten uncooked and used in salads.
• Cut and cook the larger leaves like spinach, but be sure to remove the ribs before cooking.
• You can store kale as you would any other leafy green; put the kale in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. It should last about 1 week.

Few health Benefits Of Kale

• Fighting Diseases- Kale, like other dark green veggies, may be helpful in preventing various cancers such as colon, prostate and ovarian. Its abundant vitamin K content is important for bone health, forestalling the effects of osteoporosis. And the folic acid and B6 provide cardiovascular support and prevent heart disease.
• Lowers Cholesterol- Kale contains dietary fiber, which has been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Fiber reduces the absorption of the bad “LDL” cholesterol into your bloodstream.
• Reduces the Risk of Macular Degeneration- Kale is rich in lutein which is a carotenoid that protects against macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 60.
• Healthier Hair, Skin & Nails- The healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids keep your body strong, healthy and beautiful from the inside out. Kale’s concentration of major nutrients gives your skin’s health and appearance a boost.
• Prevents Bone Loss- One cup of kale contains more than 90 mg of calcium. Studies have shown that calcium helps prevent osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and rickets. Vitamin D is required to absorb calcium so enjoy a delicious kale salad with salmon.

Mashed Potato & Kale Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 6), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch kale (3/4 pound), tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced medium
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water over high, then reduce to a rapid simmer. 
• Add leek and kale and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.
• In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. 
• With a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. 
• With a fork, mash potato mixture until a few lumps remain. With your hands, form into 12 - 16 patties.
• Pour off fat from skillet and wipe clean; add butter and melt over medium. In batches, cook cakes until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes, flipping once.
• Serve Hot!