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Kale

Brassica oleracea var. acephala

  • ABOUT

This ‘Red Russian' kale is a stalwart of the winter vege garden, producing its curly edible leaves even in cold weather. Add it to soups, stews or stir-fries to get your 5+ a day.

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  • Follow The Steps!

Getting started

  • Peel the sticker off and find your soil tablet, leave it in the tray. 
  • Pour 60ml of water into the hole with the soil tablet. All the way to the top of the hole. 
  • Let the soil tablet absorb all the water for 5 minutes. 
  • Mix the water into the soil with your fingers to make a even wet mixture. 
  • Remember to wash your hands when you’re done.

How to keep your Little Garden healthy

  • Place the tray in a place with enough light, but not directly in the sun. 
  • Check the soil every day. If the soil feels dry and crumbly, pour a small amount of clean water over the surface. 
  • You should see a little plant appear from the soil in 1 or 2 weeks, which means the seeds have germinated and will be ready soon to move into a bigger pot or garden. 
  • You can thin your kale seedling by choosing the strongest-looking one if more than one little plant grows.

When your seedling is ready to go in the garden

  • Shift into the garden or pot when the kale is about as tall as your finger (in about 3 weeks).
  • Get your kale used to life outside: put it in a warm and sheltered spot for 1-2 hours a day and return inside for the night. Do this for 4-5 days, leaving it outside for a little longer each day before you shift it out into the garden forever.

Planting best practice

  • Don`t too worry about Kale. It can grow outside almost all year round. It loves moist, rich soil, but will grow almost anywhere. 
  • Kale will grow in full sun, but it can cope with partial sun and appreciates some shade in the middle of summer. It will be fine in a pot too, provided you keep it moist.

Look after your plant while it’s growing

  • More water, sweeter, crisper leaves: water deeply every three or four days, more often in pots or over hot periods and less often if it’s raining a lot. 
  • If the plants dry out, the leaves can become bitter and tough. 
  • If you grow your kale in cold weather, the stems will turn from dark green to reddish-purple.

Harvest time

  • After approximately 8 weeks kale should be ready to harvest. 
  • Harvest the leaves one by one and the plant will keep producing for months.

Watch out

  • Slugs and snails will nibble on young plants, so create your own pest protection, lay out bait or pick off these slimy pests. 
  • Keep an eye out for the Cabbage White Butterfly in warm weather: it will lay eggs on your kale, and the hungry caterpillars will munch your plant to the ground. If you spot White Cabbage Butterflies, protect your plants with an insect mesh (an old net curtain is ideal for this!)

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