Kale: Halbhoher Grun Krauser
Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
Approx. 250-300 seed per gram

Kale is a really worthwhile vegetable to grow and it has had a real resurgence in popularity over the last few years. You can harvest it from late Summer and all the way through the winter and even into early Spring.

There are quite a few varieties and leaves can be flat, lightly blistered, jagged, or tightly curled. Colour varies too through black, purple, red and green. The flavour is sweet with a hint of iron. It tastes fantastic and is good for us too.

Halbhoher Grun Krauser is a Dwarf Green Curled Kale which is frost-hardy. It has dark-green, deeply-curled leaves with a good taste and the plants stay small so are ideal for small gardens or exposed sites. 

• Grow in the Brassica section of your rotation.
• Sow seed in April and May in a seedbed. Sprinkle seed in shallow drills allowing 15cm between the rows. There is no need to thin the seedlings.
• Around July time, when the young plants are about 10-15cm tall, transplant into the permanent growing site. Dig a planting hole and replant quite deeply spacing them about 45cm apart. Water well.
• Harvest from October until February. You can take individual leaves or cut the main head but leave the plants in as they will produce lots of side shoots.

Pests and diseases:

• The seedlings will be prone to slug damage so you may need to protect them with an environmentally friendly slug killer.
• Brassica can also attract cabbage white butterflies, the caterpillar of which cause huge damage to plants. Use a barrier to protect them. Netting with Environmesh is the best method we have found.

• The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads. Some recipes suggest massaging the leaves with olive oil to tenderise them.
• Usually, the leaves are steamed just enough to make them tender, there is no need to overcook. You can also use the leaves as a spinach substitute in cannelloni and pancakes.