In order to be the best of something, you don’t have to be the very best in every category you enter . . . just solid in nearly every one considered. Kale achieves that as a vegetable and here is why.
Nutrition : Although worldwide, there may be a small handful of plants that are more nutritious, kale rates in the top five of nearly anyone’s list. And of course certain veggies may come in higher for certain nutrients . . .but, across the board, kale rates higher as a whole than possibly any other commonly grown veggy in North America.
Growing season: Here in southwest Ohio, kale can be seeded outdoors in early spring and completely ready to harvest in early June. By picking only the larger outer leaves, it will continue to grow and produce a weekly harvest all the way up to November. But wait!! Usually the plant will over-winter and begin producing again by April 1st giving it a full and true 7 month unassisted growing period. Grow it under protection and that can be increased to nine months or more.
Amount produced : Well fertilzed, mulched, and watered, kale will produce several large leaves per week for at least 30 weeks. That is a lot of harvest from one plant and few veggies produce more in the same amount of space.
Easy to grow : As a member of the Brassica family, kale is highly vulnerable to catepillars, especially that of the white cabbage butterfly. A weekly spraying of organic Neem oil seems to consistently keep the plants bug free. Heavy mulching (which the plants love) to minimize weeds, and regular watering as needed make this one of the easiest plants to grow. They tolerate heat, some drought, and very cold temperatures.
Multiple useage : Kale is primarily known and grown as a cooked green, but we have discovered that it’s tender crisp texture and somewhat sweet flavor make it one of the best raw salad greens you will ever eat.
Bonus points : While most plants begin to get very bitter when going to seed, kale absolutely does not. The buds can be eaten before they open just as you would from it’s close relative broccoli. The flavor of kale as a salad is in fact very similar to that of a mild and sweet broccoli taste. Another bonus is that kale will usually servive the coldest winters and come back strong the next year. It will begin to try to go to seed of course, but keep cutting off the stems and it will continue to produce a vast abundance of new leaves. We discovered that the second season leaves are much smaller and more tender than those on first year plants and therefore they are best suited for harvesting as salad. First year plants are best suited for cooking unless you want to bother to pick out the young new leaves from the center. Second year plant leaves are all smaller and more abundant. Just grab a large bunch in your hand and cut the whole thing with scissors. Within a week it will be ready to harvest again. Cut flowering stalks back further to promote more new leaf growth. The plants seem to tolerate both light and heavy cutting back.
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