Spring season is good to grow leafy vegetables like Kale in your garden as it is good for human consumption. It contains Vitamin K, C, B6, and potassium-like components. It is helpful for diabetes patients as well.
Kale is easy to grow in home gardens with the least requirements. But that's not it for Kale growing. You will be surprised that Kale is not like spinach or any other season leafy vegetable, not annual, and not even perennial. So what is it? How to grow it if one is a beginner?
Don't worry you'll get all the answers here.
Kale growing in garden soil in the USA
Lets' understand first the life cycle of Kale and the nature of growing.
Kale annual or perennial?
Kale is a bushy leaf plant that is different from annual and perennial plants. Although some varieties of it are perennial those are different according to climate.
Kale is a biennial plant that grows best in warm climate conditions. It means it completes its life cycle in two years.
For the first year, it produces edible leaves that humans can consume raw most of the time(of course after cleaning). It goes dormancy in winter generally. In the following spring season, it starts its recovery but this time, it focuses on reproducing. It starts flowering and producing seeds. This cycle is complete in two and more years and then Kale plants die.
Although, you can consume its leaf if they are still growing well. But most of the time second-year span Kale leaves are not edible raw, it is best to use them after cooking.
Season of growing Kale
Kale grows best in the spring season as most of the green leafy vegetables grow.
In warm climate conditions, Kale needs moderate temperature during seed sowing. For later growth, it needs full sunlight for 5 to 8 hours. It can tolerate partial shade if sunlight is intense and humidity is less.
In cool climate conditions, Kale needs some extra care. It grows better in full sunlight throughout the year(except in winter). Winter dormancy is common in both cool and warm climates.
In overcast weather, Kale leaves don't feel much stress.
Basic requirements
- Soil type- Rich components in soil, well-drained
- Soil pH- 6.5 to 6.8
- Temperature- Min. 40F, max. 85F
- Humidity- 5% min to 40% max.
- Fertilizers- Vermicompost or organic compost(waste organic materials)
- Irrigation- According to the growing stages
Tools required
- Spade(if growing in the direct ground)
- Cultivator tools
- Harvesting Knife
Types of containers
I prefer you to grow Kale on the direct ground. It needs expansion and you have to arrange many containers for that.
In the direct ground, you can grow in less cost, with a natural atmosphere, easy fertilization, and irrigation.
But still, if you don't have space, then try to arrange wide containers that are 8 to 10 inches deep and wide as they can be. At least 15 inches long containers are required for a single Kale to handle its expansion.
Method of growing Kale
The following points are helpful to grow Kale either in pots or in the direct garden ground-
- Prepare the soil first
To grow Kale, you need rich soil with well-drained quality. For that, you need to mix several materials like garden soil, vermicompost, and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1 respectively.
Mix all the components well with the help of a spade in your garden. Spray water to make the mixture moist not wet.
It will always be productive to make hedges. These lifted soil beds are very helpful to provide more details about every seed and Kale plant.
- Sowing Kale seeds
Choose a native seed variety according to your geography. Sow two or three seeds at a point. Keep the gap of 6 to 8 inches with other points in rows and columns. Pinch the seeds in the soil directly but not more than 1 inch deep.
- Irrigation stages
There are several stages of irrigating Kale plants. Let's discuss them all-
Initial irrigation- 10 to 12 days later of seed germination.
Mid irrigation- Regular irrigation till leaves are growing.
Before dormancy- No irrigation from a week before starting of winter till early spring
- Fertilization
Once a year during mid-growth. You can increase it if plants are facing any issues with the growth rate.
- Sunlight and shade need
5 to 8 hours of direct sunlight is good in summer if the temperature doesn't increase more than 80F. If it increases, then irrigate regularly and provide partial shade.
During the winter, it can handle temperatures up to 40F but less than that is not good for recovery in the following spring.
- Harvesting of Kale
After 45 to 50 days from sowing seeds, you can harvest the first crop of Kale. You can confirm it if you find the leaves are as bigger as the size of your feet or palm.
Use a harvesting knife or scissors to harvest the fresh Kale leaves. These leaves will grow again in the next 2 3 weeks. From now, you can harvest them till mid-fall.
How to consume Kale?
After harvesting, you need to wash the Kale leaves with clean water. Don't be so stressed about its consumption.
You can consume it raw if the leaves are smooth and soft. Prefer hard leaves for cooking and then consume them.
Don't consume too much Kale in a day but a couple of leaves are enough for an average-sized person.