[rowlandwells]

I can't remember if I ask this question before and looking at my garden diary I can't see any note on kale so I'm going for some advise from our members to try growing kale once again I'm intending to try  a variety called Emerald Ice as the seed is quite expensive i need to get it rite if poss

so I really need to seek  some sound advise from proper kale growers unlike me I did have an attempt at growing kale last year and although they did grow all be it not vet big and then got covered in aphids so I've bought some environment mesh so that should do the trick with the aphids?


so any help on this topic would be most appreciated

[Yorkie]

John's advice on growing kale is here: https://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/kale-growing/

Enviromesh will keep the aphids and cabbage white butterflies off the kale, yes

[coldandwindy]

I can't remember if I ask this question before and looking at my garden diary I can't see any note on kale so I'm going for some advise from our members to try growing kale once again I'm intending to try  a variety called Emerald Ice as the seed is quite expensive i need to get it rite if poss

so I really need to seek  some sound advise from proper kale growers unlike me I did have an attempt at growing kale last year and although they did grow all be it not vet big and then got covered in aphids so I've bought some environment mesh so that should do the trick with the aphids?


so any help on this topic would be most appreciated

We're sowing ours this week. Our weather is a bit unpredictable (actually that's a lie, you can predict it'll be atrocious with a fair degree of accuracy), so we sow in cell trays or small pots & plant out 6 weeks or so later. We thin by cutting off spare seedlings with scissors, so as not to disturb the roots. Be sure not to forget to water the pots - they survive being dry but they survive like a bonsai - kind of "set" in a small shape for ever.
Windy. 

[lettice]

It depends on the type.

I have for many years grown the Curly Kale type and always start that off in the greenhouse with an early March sowing for planting out the seedlings in early April.
I have moved on last few years to also growing Nero di Toscano and Red Russian types as well.
I sow the Nero in the greenhouse in early March also in phased sowings and its up very quick and also gets planted out in early April.
The Red Russian is not so tolerant of any cold I'm told so never risked it, so have sown seed in the greenhouse at end of April for planting out in mid to late May.

I have found with Kale, that sowing and planting the seedling produces good strong plants that start producing from June through to March the next year, with weekly pickings that re-generates the season growth.
I have grown mine in the same raised bed for years, just a quick hoe after the spring plants are removed and a top dressing of homemade compost, no other feed.
Leave the bed open as never had anything touch my kale. It shares the raised bed with Perpetual Spinach and Chard.

A pic of my third phased sowing of Kale Nero that will go outside tomorrow. Seed sowed end of March