The Kale or “kale” It is a splendid vegetable of the Brassicaceae or cruciferous family. Long relegated to oblivion, it has become fashionable again in recent years, so much so that it is now considered a “super food” because of its properties.
The foreign name, which we also use today, should not make us think of an exotic vegetable, on the contrary it is a vegetable perfectly adapted to cultivation in Italy , and is easily grown in home gardens using organic farming methods. can also be called lanced cabbage and in Puglia it is known as “cole rizze”.
Kale looks like Tuscan black cabbage: like the latter does not form a compact ball like a cabbage and a hat, but a tuft of leaves carried by an erect stem, which with growth develops in height and continues to emit new vegetation. The leaves, however, are different from those of black cabbage, they do not have the typical boils, but rather turn very curly at the edges .
So let’s see what are the specific needs of this plant and how to grow it effectively in our garden .
Contents [Ocultar]
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where can it be grown
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plant cabbage
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planting period
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How to plant the seedling
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How to Grow Kale
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how much to water
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Cannabis control
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Crop rotation
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Biological defense against diseases and pests
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pick cabbage
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Use and nutritional properties
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ornamental cabbage
Contents
where you can grow
Climate . Kale is tolerant of low temperatures, and therefore can be counted among the autumn-winter vegetables , especially among those that can also be harvested in the middle of winter to make soups. However, there are several varieties of kale, some of which are more suitable for spring-summer cultivation, others for autumn-winter cultivation, in this case with transplanting of young plants which must be done in summer. By organizing the planting and transplanting as well as possible, we can have kale leaves to harvest for most of the year .
Usually I The plant is rather adaptable to the nature of the ground which shelters it, but that certainly requires a good pipeline system , obtained with deep tillage, best if done with a forked fork. As nutritional requirements, you want a good supply of organic matter, as mature as compost or manure as soil amendments, and a few handfuls of other natural, mineral or organic fertilizers.
to sow rapeseed
Sowing kale is done in the seedbed , from very small, rounded seeds, similar to those of other crucifers. If we do not have cultivation experience yet, however, we can start with ready-made seedlings found in nurseries and proceed immediately with transplanting. Self-production of seedlings in greenhouse nurseries continues to be a very satisfying option and not only a way to save money, but also supposes being able to follow the seedlings almost daily, so it should be evaluated.
Plant kale done in the same way as for the other seedlings, using the containers and good soft ground . If several plants are born together, repopulate and separate them, to grow them on separate dirt blocks to make them strong.
planting period
Seedling planting times are the same as for other cabbage , with the first planting of seedlings in the nursery greenhouse from February and the last around July. By staggering plantings and carefully designing garden spaces, it is possible to have sprouts for most of the year.