kale

TightenUp · July 17, 2012

i've never grown before but i'm reading mid july is a good plant out time in NJ. should i have started seeds already and put in transplants or is it ok to sow seeds directly?

lakelady · July 17, 2012

I actually start mine in Spring, they have been growing all along and will continue to grow through a mild winter. This year I let them go to seed in Spring from last year. I have the Tuscan Kale, happy to share seeds if you want some...it seems hardier to me than the Russian Red I've grown and tastes fabulous!

I actually have one plant I forgot about that is in a nice shady spot between a few dwarfs where nothing has any room and it is quite comfy.

they say the Kale tastes sweeter once frost hits it, but I find the Tuscan Kale to be very nice tasting any time.

If you have a good spot that is getting a lot of water, you can try some direct, but I think with the heat, you might have better luck indoors first. Germinates very easily!

Mudman · July 17, 2012

I would try both, when I sow indoors this time of year I seem to have trouble getting the plants to survive the intense heat and sunshine when transplanting. If you can get them to survive direct sowing I think this would be best in my experience.

TightenUp · July 17, 2012

Lakelady

once again you make a generous offer to me, you're too kind. i am just testing out kale in my garden for the 1st time and only plan on one or 2 plants. i really dont have room for any more. right now they are in a spot where i lost a tomato plant to disease. i am however much more interested a possible tomato seed exchange after the season

mudman

good idea. popped a few seeds outside today and will get some started indoors shortly

Father'sDaughter · July 17, 2012

I also started some in the spring and we've been enjoying it, plus I put seeds in two weeks ago where my garlic was, for a fall crop. It grows fairly quickly and is cold tolerant, so you should be fine with planting seeds now.

My husband just found out he needs to avoid foods high in vitamin K, and kale is one of the highest sources of it. I went ahead and pulled the plants that were producing, and I'll probably yank any new ones that sprout.

rockhound · July 18, 2012

One or two plants of kale won't give you enough to boil as green since it, like other greens shrinks a lot.

TightenUp · July 18, 2012

i just put a few leaves in my smoothie every morning. i also like trying new things in the garden. thanks for the input though

shelleybean · July 19, 2012

I just started my kale seeds indoors yesterday. They're already up!

They will stay in my laundry room under lights for about a month and I'll move them outside late August. I also grow the Tuscan kale and it will continue to grow all winter. I have not tried to grow it though the summer but it gets pretty darn hot here. I do know it makes a good cool weather crop.

lakelady · July 19, 2012

tightenup, no problem, so far I'm loving the taste of Earl's Faux the best of what I've tried so far! yum! Now if the rest would ripen, I'd be in heaven

Definately trade seeds!

I was juicing the kale myself until my wonderful juicer container exploded recently, ha, what a MESS. Have to get a new one. You'll be happy to know the kale does really well here and actually does like cold weather, mine came back this year and so I'll probably have volunteers next year from the seeds that went all over the place.

TightenUp · July 19, 2012

i'm waiting on kelloggs breakfast and brandywine from croatia to ripen for me. i have extremely high hopes of both. so far i am very happy with cher purple and a mystery which i will be saving seeds. its a lovely sweet pink 8-12 oz tomato.

i also have about 20 other varieties that i havent grown yet but have acquired the seed for.

as for the kale it makes a great smoothie base, sorry about your machine. i started here at the summer house in a raised bed so i will not be able to tend the garden in a couple months so i have no idea what will happen. i come down random weeks all year and just hoping for some fresh kale while i'm here. i havent seen anything pop up so i dont even know if i will get germination.

plainolebill · July 20, 2012

We usually grow about 24 kale plants for winter harvest and start them in 4" pots mid-July then set them out as other crops get harvested. We only grow Red Russian or some variation of it since we've been collecting the seed and replanting for years so it's probably morphed into something a little different.

TightenUp · July 20, 2012

i am going to start a few indoors as well. are there any other veggies you start at this time of the year? love trying new things

lakelady · July 20, 2012

Next month I'll be direct seeding radishes again, I love fresh ones and they grow really fast and are easy. Keep in mind they do not grow in containers. I have no idea why, but I've tried them in my earthbox and regular containers, and never got the roots to form a radish. They say beets are good to sow now too and next month I'll be starting my mesculin all over again. Anything that is short season and likes cooler temperatures. I was going to try peas again for a fall crop as well.

shelleybean · July 20, 2012

Right now under lights, I have savoy cabbage (choose a cold tolerant, late variety), collards, mustard greens, the kale, collards and turnip greens (seven top, so I can keep them going all winter). Later I'll start endive and lettuce. You can also grow spinach and chard through the winter and get a head start on all these indoors.

Mark0820 · July 22, 2012

I direct seeded some Tuscan Kale at the Community garden yesterday. It is my first time growing kale. Since I have never grown kale before, this might be a dumb question. Once I harvest the leaves to eat, do new leaves regrow on the plant?

July 17, 2012	#1
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	kale i've never grown before but i'm reading mid july is a good plant out time in NJ. should i have started seeds already and put in transplants or is it ok to sow seeds directly?

July 17, 2012	#2
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	I actually start mine in Spring, they have been growing all along and will continue to grow through a mild winter. This year I let them go to seed in Spring from last year. I have the Tuscan Kale, happy to share seeds if you want some...it seems hardier to me than the Russian Red I've grown and tastes fabulous! I actually have one plant I forgot about that is in a nice shady spot between a few dwarfs where nothing has any room and it is quite comfy. they say the Kale tastes sweeter once frost hits it, but I find the Tuscan Kale to be very nice tasting any time. If you have a good spot that is getting a lot of water, you can try some direct, but I think with the heat, you might have better luck indoors first. Germinates very easily! __________________ Antoniette

July 17, 2012	#3
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	I would try both, when I sow indoors this time of year I seem to have trouble getting the plants to survive the intense heat and sunshine when transplanting. If you can get them to survive direct sowing I think this would be best in my experience. __________________ Mike

July 19, 2012	#8
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I just started my kale seeds indoors yesterday. They're already up! They will stay in my laundry room under lights for about a month and I'll move them outside late August. I also grow the Tuscan kale and it will continue to grow all winter. I have not tried to grow it though the summer but it gets pretty darn hot here. I do know it makes a good cool weather crop. __________________ Michele

July 19, 2012	#9
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	tightenup, no problem, so far I'm loving the taste of Earl's Faux the best of what I've tried so far! yum! Now if the rest would ripen, I'd be in heaven Definately trade seeds! I was juicing the kale myself until my wonderful juicer container exploded recently, ha, what a MESS. Have to get a new one. You'll be happy to know the kale does really well here and actually does like cold weather, mine came back this year and so I'll probably have volunteers next year from the seeds that went all over the place. __________________ Antoniette

July 17, 2012	#5
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	I also started some in the spring and we've been enjoying it, plus I put seeds in two weeks ago where my garlic was, for a fall crop. It grows fairly quickly and is cold tolerant, so you should be fine with planting seeds now. My husband just found out he needs to avoid foods high in vitamin K, and kale is one of the highest sources of it. I went ahead and pulled the plants that were producing, and I'll probably yank any new ones that sprout.

July 18, 2012	#6
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	One or two plants of kale won't give you enough to boil as green since it, like other greens shrinks a lot.

July 20, 2012	#11
plainolebill Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Williamette Valley, Oregon Posts: 33	We usually grow about 24 kale plants for winter harvest and start them in 4" pots mid-July then set them out as other crops get harvested. We only grow Red Russian or some variation of it since we've been collecting the seed and replanting for years so it's probably morphed into something a little different.

July 22, 2012	#15
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	I direct seeded some Tuscan Kale at the Community garden yesterday. It is my first time growing kale. Since I have never grown kale before, this might be a dumb question. Once I harvest the leaves to eat, do new leaves regrow on the plant?