<p>50 days. Flat, broad, deeply-cut leaves grow on long, succulent, sweet stalks forming a large, dark green, cold-hardy rosette about 60cm (24 in.) in diameter at maturity. We have a new seed strain this year since our plants did not form the rosettes last year.</p><p>CULTURE: Plan on enjoying these greens from late fall to spring. Sow mid-June to mid-July in moderately good garden soil, and their normally rapid growth will have made a sizeable plant by late October. As with other cole crops, add a handful of dolomite lime for every sq. m. of bed. The lime is absolutely crucial if (ideally) you are planting these coles in last years potato patch. A little compost or manure is usually sufficient to grow fine plants. Sow 1 seed per 10 cm (4 in.), 1cm (1/2 in.) deep in rows 45cm (18 in.) apart, and thin to about 30cm (12 in.) after the plants are well established. Covering the seed with finely sifted compost, manure or vermiculite greatly enhances germination in hot weather. Or, raise transplants in a nursery bed or pots and set in the garden when 15 cm (6 in.) tall. Bury the stem deeply and give the large plants plenty of room and full sunshine. <br>DISEASE: Overwintering cole crops complete the year in the 'cole bed'. Next spring this bed grows root crops, peppers and tomatoes (unless they are in containers up by the house out of the rain!). This rotation will control most diseases and pests. <br>INSECTS: Rapidly growing plants will outgrow most damage. <br>HARVEST: Begin picking individual leaves in late October or November. Little growth will occur during December/January, but will resume in February. When that happens, side dressing the plants with fishmeal or other readily available source of nitrogen (composted chicken manure is fine) will encourage voluminous spring growth until flowering. Eat the unopened flowers like the sweetest 'broccoli' you’ve ever tasted. <br>SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 80%. Days to emergence: 5-15. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 20-30 deg. C (68-85 deg. F). Days to maturity: from date of direct seeding; subtract 15 days if transplanting. One gram contains approximately 150-200 seeds. Usual seed life: 3 years.</p><p>Kale is the name given to various forms of non-heading brassicas. Most have a tall, thick stem and are very hardy, overwintering and being harvested in spring when the young leaves and shoots develop. Many of the kales grown as vegetables have very crisp and curled leaves, and large coarse kales are also grown for animal fodder. Kales were probably the earliest type of cultivated brassica and are very close to the wild forms of Brassica oleracea. Kale is one of the finest stir-fry and salad greens! And the kale you grow through the winter will be sweet and full of vitamins, nothing like the tough hot leaves from California.</p>
