Whats up Mid-Ohio Valley farmers and gardeners! It’s exhausting to imagine we’re into the month of September! As soon as once more we now have acquired a really beneficiant quantity of rain right here within the Valley, this time through Hurricane Ida. Out of doors temperatures shall be very snug within the coming few days, making it pleasant to work exterior as soon as we dry out slightly.
Final mentioned rising arugula and different greens for the autumn backyard. This week I wish to discuss kale. I do know this member of the cabbage household has develop into extraordinarily widespread over the previous few years, and with good motive. It’s filled with vital vitamins, may be grown effectively into the winter months and is simple to develop.
Kale is usually a nice selection for the autumn backyard. This darkish inexperienced, leafy vegetable thrives in cool climate and really improves in taste after a frost. It’s simple to develop and can produce a bumper crop of leafy, antioxidant-rich leafy greens to make use of in salads, soups and for juicing. Now is a good the time to direct seed kale within the backyard or in containers.
Kale is a nutrient dense meals and antioxidant powerhouse. Just like different leafy greens, it is extremely excessive in antioxidants together with beta-carotene, vitamin C, in addition to varied flavonoids and polyphenols. It additionally comprises nutritional vitamins A, Ok, B6, and vital minerals together with calcium, potassium, copper and manganese. One cup of uncooked kale has simply 33 energy and solely 7 grams of carbohydrate.
Cruciferous greens like kale comprise sulfur-containing phytochemicals referred to as glucosinolates, which cut back irritation within the physique. We all know ailments akin to coronary heart illness, arthritis, diabetes and most cancers are all related to irritation. Different cruciferous greens embrace cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and bok choy.
Kale (Brassica oleracea acelphala) is a member of the cabbage household and prefers fertile, well-drained soils for optimum development and desires planted in full solar.
Comply with soil check suggestions earlier than planting. If fertilizer functions are warranted, work the fertilizer into the highest six inches of soil. In case you fertilize with compost, apply one inch of well-composted natural matter per 100 sq. toes of backyard space.
On common, kale will mature in 50 -65 days, relying on the variability. Don’t plant seeds too deep, solely about 1/4 inch. A 1/2 ounce packet of kale will plant a 100 foot row.
When direct seeding kale, sow seed seeds 1 inch aside, in rows 1-3 toes aside. Skinny the vegetation to 12-18 inches aside once they have 3-4 true leaves. For containers, wait till vegetation are 2-3 inches tall and transplant into pots.
Curly edged, blue-green leaves are typical once we consider kale vegetation. These normal varieties embrace Vates Dwarf Blue, Scotch Curled and Squire. The Scotch Curled is without doubt one of the oldest types of this primitive member of the cabbage household. These older, chilly hardy varieties proceed to supply after the primary frost and are able to surviving exterior typically till Christmas.
Different types of kale could also be enjoyable to experiment with. Purple Russian kale is an heirloom selection with purple stems and clean, deeply toothed edged leaves that are additional tender. Toscano, in any other case referred to as lacinato or “dinosaur” kind has a novel leaf kind that’s extra-dark inexperienced, noncurled however closely blistered (savoyed).
As I discussed, kale loves cool climate. It grows greatest when temperatures don’t exceed 75 levels F. Mature vegetation are extraordinarily hardy and might stand up to very chilly temperatures. Younger vegetation will not be critically broken by temperatures all the way down to 25 levels F. Sizzling climate can cut back development, lower high quality, and trigger bitter or off flavors to develop.
Gardeners can develop kale virtually yr spherical, however there’s a particular distinction within the style of kale grown in heat climate versus cool climate. A lightweight frost truly improves taste. The candy and wealthy taste of kale that has been frosted is because of greater sugar content material within the leaves.
Harvest the leaves when they’re small and tender. Vegetation may be left within the backyard all through the winter to provide greens out of season. In case you use a row cowl or a plastic low tunnel you possibly can harvest kale all winter.
Kale is normally cooked to melt it earlier than consuming, although you possibly can shred a number of the extra tender small leaves and add them to salads. The stems tends to be powerful, fibrous and imparts a bitter style so it’s possible you’ll wish to take away them earlier than use. The leaves are simpler to puree with out stems.
When cooking, kale may be steamed, stir fried, roasted, or eaten uncooked. You possibly can flip it into smoothies, kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or flip it into pesto.
In case you can’t discover the types of kale you need at native backyard facilities, attempt Johnny’s Seeds, Burpee Seed, Park Seeds or different seed firms. Heirloom varieties can be found from Sustainable Seed Firm, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds or Southern Publicity Seed Trade.
Questions? Contact me on the Wooden County WVU Extension Workplace 304-424-1960 or e-mail me at jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu. Good Luck and Completely satisfied Gardening!
Query of the Week:
I’m desirous to develop rutabaga as a result of my mother and pop grew them of their backyard. What’s the distinction between a rutabaga and a turnip?
Turnips(Brassica rapa) and rutabagas (Brassica napus) are cool season root crops within the Brassica household. Rutabagas or Swedish turnips (“Swedes”) are typically considerably bigger, sweeter and fewer strongly flavored than the smaller turnip.
They each thrive in chilly climate and may be very productive. Just like different root greens, high quality may be poor when both of those crops are grown in sizzling climate or get too massive and pithy.
There are some variations between these root crops however they each enhance in taste when cooked and are used to switch potatoes in recipes. My grandmother would boil turnips and blend them in with mashed potatoes for slightly additional zing.
Rutabagas want an extended rising season (90 days or extra) in comparison with turnips (45-60 days). Turnips are harvested at a smaller measurement (baseball measurement) in comparison with a softball or bigger measurement for rutabagas.
Rutabagas are sweeter with orange flesh in comparison with the zesty, mustard like taste of the white fleshed turnip. Rutabagas are sometimes more durable and denser than turnips.
The rutabaga’s form ranges from oval, spherical, or triangular, with yellowish to brown pores and skin and cream-orange flesh. The extra generally identified turnip is smaller and spherical with purple and white pores and skin, and white flesh.
Askov, Minn., (inhabitants 364) was as soon as referred to as the rutabaga capital of the U.S. and nonetheless holds the Rutabaga Honest and Pageant each 4th week of August. Rutabaga sausage is served together with conventional Danish Aebleskiver (pancakes). Nursery proprietor Ludvig Mosbaek despatched for rutabaga seeds from Denmark method again in 1909. The remainder is historical past.
Turnips may be eaten uncooked (I take pleasure in peeling and consuming turnips straight from the backyard) however rutabagas ought to be cooked. The lesser-known rutabaga can change the potato in practically each recipe. Preparation strategies embrace roasting, baking, or steaming them. Roasting these greens highlights their pure sweetness. The inexperienced tops from each turnips and rutabagas are edible.
