After the first hard frost of autumn blackened the basil, wilted the peppers and knocked down the nasturtiums, one plant still stood proudly in the vegetable garden – the kale.
There are three types of kale and you are probably most familiar with the one that has been around the shortest time. Ornamental kale with its beautiful frilly-leaved heads of purple, deep red, pink and white are a standout in autumn flower gardens, but it has only been around for about 25 years. It was first cultivated commercially in California in the 1980s and is sometimes called salad savoy.
Two other types of kale have been cultivated in the U.S. since the 17th century. One is crinkly-leaved and the other’s leaves have an embossed texture. There are many cultivars for each type, all of which differ in taste, appearance and texture. A quick read of the seed packet or description in the seed catalog will help you decide which to plant.
In general, ornamental kale, which is also edible, has the sweetest flavor, crinkly-leaved kale has a bitter, peppery flavor, and the smoother-leaved varieties have a milder, more delicate taste.
Kale is easy to grow. The seeds are the size of large pinheads and are planted ¼” deep in the soil. Spacing between plants and rows varies by type planted as varieties range greatly in height and width. Again, check the seed packet.
Kale planted in spring will produce all summer and into fall. A second crop can be planted in August for fall harvest. In fact, fall frosts change the flavor to more sweet and less bitter. Consistent water throughout the growing season produces the best leaves.
Leaves can be harvested individually for salads as soon as plants are a few inches tall. Harvest continues throughout the season by always removing the outermost leaves. A heavy mulch placed around the plants in fall could possibly allow harvesting throughout the winter, depending on the severity of the weather.
Kale’s popularity is exploding in the health food world. At only 33 calories per cup, it is high in Vitamins A and C and also provides potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, protein and Vitamin B-6.
Kale can be stored unwashed in the refrigerator in plastic storage bags for about five days. The longer it is stored, the more bitter its flavor becomes. It can be frozen by blanching the leaves for 2 ½ minutes, spreading them on cookie sheets in the freezer until crisp, then packed in plastic freezer bags.
Kale is eaten raw in salads, as cooked greens, or added to stir-fries or soups. Kale chips are made by washing the leaves, drying them in a salad spinner or patting them with a clean towel, and tearing them into bite-sized pieces. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and seasoned salt. Bake at 350° until crisp but not burnt, 10-15 minutes.
Leave a Reply