Love it or loathe it, kale is really good for you, super easy to grow and it’s still on trend.
Kale as a superfood provides you with Lutein, Vitamin A, C, E and K, Magnesium, Iron, and a range of Antioxidants.
In the garden, even if you’re not fond of kale it is a very ornamental edible to grow.
Growing kale and other brassicas during the cooler months means they avoid attack from the dreaded cabbage moth that lays her eggs on a variety of brassicas.
Varieties:
There are many varieties of both edible and ornamental kale.
These are few of the more readily available edible cultivars; Tuscan Black (Nero di Toscana), Green Wave, Red Russian, Dwarf Green, Dwarf Siberian.
How to grow:
- Grow from seeds, seedlings or established plants
- Position full sun to semi-shade – garden beds or pots
- Frost tolerant
- Quick to harvest - from 6-8 weeks from planting
- Soil must be free draining with good levels of organic matter – Rocky Point ActivGrow Soil Improver or Cow Manure Plus
- Mulch well with Rocky Point Sugar Cane, Lucerne or Pea Straw Mulch
- Use fertilisers high in nitrogen, like ActivGrow Fertiliser Pellets, to provide the essential nutrient for leaf growth
- Consistent regular watering is needed for plants to be productive
Eating it
Fresh: Use young chopped leaves of kale fresh in salads, sandwiches and steamed.
Green Smoothies: Kale can be added to a green smoothie to make it vitamin rich.
Kale Chips: Bake in a moderate oven for 10 minutes to create crispy kale chips
Cooked: Add to stir fries, soups and as a side dish.
Kale Smoothie
Ingredients;
- 2 cups Kale, freshly picked
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1/2 Lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup Pineapple chunks, frozen
- 1 tsp Ginger, freshly grated
- 1 tbsp Cashew nuts
- 1 Banana
- 250mL Coconut water
Method;
- Blend ingredients together in a high powered blender for 30 seconds, starting with a splash of coconut water.
- Continue adding coconut water until you reach desired consistency.
NOTE: This may take anywhere between 150-250mL of coconut water. - Serve chilled.
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