Kale is Awesome and You Should Grow It

 As you might infer from the title, this article is a bit opinionated. However, it is full of information that you should consider before writing Kale off forever. You should grow it! First, Kale is super healthy

Red Russian Kale, which isn't my favorite but 
there were extenuating circumstances. 

food. Second, Kale is delicious. Third, it is really easy to grow from seeds so it will save you on your grocery bill! 

So, the first point is universally acknowledged, Kale is super good for you. For more info on that, click here. 

If you think kale tastes bad, then you should try it the following three ways which I think are amazing before giving up on it. 

1. You can make kale chips by taking the stems off, spreading on a cookie sheet, sprinkling with olive oil and salt, and baking at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. That's it. So crunchy and delicious. Curly kale is best for this but that's usually what you find in the grocery store anyways. 

2. You can add it to several kinds of soup and soften it a bit. We love it in zuppa toscana. Recipe here. 

3. It makes a great salad. I love it with feta cheese, apple slices, raisins and a balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! Recipe here. 

Now are you convinced you should grow some? Fantastic because it's so easy. 

First, kale is a cool weather crop. Here in York County PA you can grow it 10 months out of the year. Just not July and August because its too hot. 

Second, it is super easy to grow from seed. Please don't waste your money buying seedlings. You can also find seeds anywhere that sells seeds. I've even seen them at the dollar tree. Always follow the instructions on the package, kale seeds are small and shouldn't be buried more than a quarter inch. 

Third, kale needs average moisture and soil conditions, is not a heavy feeder, but does need some sunlight. Full to partial sun is fine. 

Fourth, kale is a great plant to do succession planting. So, plant out a few seeds in mid March, and then a few more seeds 2 weeks after that and so on till early May. Then start again in early August and keep going. 

Finally, kale is a brassica so it is susceptible to any other pests and diseases that other brassica's might get. In my garden that means cabbage worms.  They are easy to treat though. You can either put a bug net over your plants so the months can't lay their eggs on them, or you can spray them with Bt (an organic biological control easily found at any garden center). 

So that's it, so easy right? Have I convinced you yet? How do you like to eat or grow kale? feel free to comment below.