Curly Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts and is one of the most nutritionally dense foods you’ll find. Kale is often called a “superfood” because it is packed with nutrients such as calcium, potassium, betacarotene, and other antioxidants. Kale shines as a cold-weather crop and is at its most flavorful and tender in the colder months – the winter frost only makes it sweeter. There are many different varieties of kale, including the popular, hearty winterbor, red and white Russian, and lacinato (also known as Tuscan or dinosaur kale).
Kale is an incredibly versatile green, and can be used raw in salads, sautéed/steamed/braised, or roasted into crunchy kale chips. The tough stems and ribs should be removed before the greens are cooked. Kale can be substituted for spinach in most dishes (with longer cooking time). Try it in soups, pasta sauces, stir-fries, omelets, or sautéed as a side dish. Blend this nutrient rich green in a smoothie with fruit—the kale flavors doesn’t stand out, but you still get all the benefits!
Curly Kale PLANTING
- You can plant kale at any time, from early spring to early summer. If you plant kale late in the summer, you can harvest it from fall until the ground freezes in winter.
- Mix 1-½ cups of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 25 feet of row into the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.
- Plant the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep into well-drained, light soil.
- After about 2 weeks, thin the seedlings so that they are spaced 8 to 12 inches apart
CARE
- Water the plants regularly, but be sure not to overwater them.
- Mulch the soil heavily after the first hard freeze; the plants may continue to produce leaves throughout the winter.
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