Learn how to grow kale and what pests and diseases are a danger to your crop.  What is great about kale is it is a cut and come again plant so it is a great value plant to have as it maximises your return for your space.

Kale is great for many uses however it has quite a strong taste to it.  Not everyone likes the stronger tasting brassicas.  If you do it is a great plant to grow.

What is great aobut it is it is very easy to grow although there are some pests and diseases that need to be considered for a successful crop

There is also a long harvesting season when many other things are not growing so that makes it doubly useful.

How to Grow Kale

Easy to Grow – Cut and Come Again 

Kale are brilliant plants to grow.  They are tasty, hardy, prolific producers and disease resistant.

Growing and Sowing Kale

Kale is easy to grow either from seed or plant.

KALE SOWING PLANTING AND HARVESTING QUICK VIEW

This is a guide only as you can also use kale in the summer as a salad crop and sometimes for longer.  Check your seed packet for your specific variety or just go by visual cues.  If it still looks good, use it.

Kale is great as you get a lot of crop for your investment.  It comes in different types such as curly, Black and Red or dwarf varieties.

You can buy the seeds.  These are easy enough to grow from seed.  Or you can get plug plants.

Pests and Diseases in Kale

Net your plants unless you want to return to stalks!  Pigeons love them.  Slugs too will chomp away most of your plant so you will have to use your chosen slug repellent.  Once winter sets in though there don’t seem to be too much of a problem with pests (keep netted).  As Kale is of the brassica family it might pay to use a collar.  They are hardy perennial plants and are really resistant to disease.  Most people do treat as annuals and do move them with crop rotation like cabbage and broccoli.

Harvesting Kale

Harvesting Kale is really easy.  It is simply a matter of cutting off the part that you want.  Some people say not to take the outer leaves when you do this as the inner ones are more tasty and delicate.

Kale Recipes and Eating

Kale is really versatile in recipes.  You can use it in soups or stews.  It works great with salads and even as a stir fry.