Ask Kitty
I am writing to ask about kale. I have a long row of kale in my garden. How long will I be able to pick kale? Does it taste bad later in the fall season? When should I pull the plants out of my garden?
Thank you,
Kale Lover
Dear Kale Lover,
I am delighted to hear you are growing kale. It is a nutritious, delicious alternative to spinach and other thick leaf greens in any salad or soup.
Kale is considered a cold weather crop so the change of season to fall doesn’t change the taste of kale at all. Some greens get bitter, but kale gets better. It is actually at its peak flavour after a frost. You don’t have to pull your kale out of the garden. It is very tolerant of cold weather.
When temperatures drop below freezing cover your kale under a thick mulch of straw. You can go out and pick kale even after a snow comes. If the winter is mild (and because kale is biennial) come spring thaw time it will grow new leaves for you to harvest. Late in the spring it will go to seed and you can let it seed itself out or collect the seeds.
Remember to always pick your kale from the bottom up and don’t pick the top centre growth or you will stunt your plant. So leave your delicious kale to grow and continue to enjoy your harvest well into the season.
Enjoy your kale!
Kitty
