Harvesting Kale

[4Shoes]

Did anyone watch Channel 4 Food Unwrapped last night.

They were harvesting Kale ….

Essentially left growing head. Stripped top 1/3 to 1/2 for harvest and then stripped bottom section onto the ground (in our case - compost heap or chickens).

Essentially finished with a bare stalk with a pompom head


This way they get 3 good harvests a year.


Thought for today....


Should we be stripping sections of kale plats to encourage young growth, say starting with the hard bottom half at this time of the year.

[veggiechicken]

Sounds like a brussels sprout plant!

With kale, it may depend on the variety. Don't think you could be too selective with dwarf ones.
I tend to pick a few leaves from each plant and leave the rest to grow.

[bario1]

Me too, I pick what i need from the 'fresh' growth, leaving the bottom leaves to die and fall off, and the new growth at the crown to grow on. Basically the same concept, but I don't need all the edible bits at once, like commercial growers.

[Bren In Pots]

With kale, it may depend on the variety. Don't think you could be too selective with dwarf ones.
I tend to pick a few leaves from each plant and leave the rest to grow.

I grow Tuscan kale and like VC I take a few leaves from each plant, that way i'm still picking in in March/April.