How to harvest kale without killing the plant

Along with leaving the smaller, central leaves, it's important not to harvest too much of the plant at a time. Pick a few leaves from each plant, leaving at least one third of the leaves intact. Picking the oldest leaves from the kale when you harvest also ensures that you'll be able to use up the entire plant.

How do you pick kale from your garden?
How do you know when kale is ready to pick?
How long can you leave kale in the garden?
Will Kale regrow after cutting?
What can I do with kale from my garden?
Does Kale come back every year?
What can you not plant with kale?
What do you do with kale after flowering?

How do you pick kale from your garden?

How to Harvest Kale

Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand.
Pick about one fistful of leaves per harvest. ...
Avoid picking the terminal bud (found at the top center of the plant) because this will help to keep the plant productive.
Kale will continue growing until it's 20°F.

How do you know when kale is ready to pick?

Before you begin, you'll need to make sure that your kale plant is ready to harvest. You'll know when it's ready when it's about 12 inches tall and the leaves are the size of your hand or bigger. Leaves that are the size of your palm are younger and more tender whereas the bigger leaves will be older and a bit tougher.

How long can you leave kale in the garden?

Direct seeds will mature in 55 to 75 days, while transplants will speed up the process, ready for harvest in about 30 to 40 days. Plant your crop again in the fall, six to eight weeks before the first expected frost — you can keep harvesting even after snowfall.

Will Kale regrow after cutting?

So long as you continue to harvest in this fashion, the plant will continue to produce new leaves from the top as it grows taller. But if you harvest the leaves from the top, they you will stunt the plants growth!

What can I do with kale from my garden?

Here are a few ideas:

Toss it with Pasta. Kale and pasta go together beautifully. ...
Serve it in a Salad. Chop it up and toss it in with other salad veggies. ...
Add Kale to Scrambled Eggs. I don't have a photo of this, but I've made it for my lunch a few times. ...
Make Kale Chips. ...
Easy Kale Skillet Side Dish.

Does Kale come back every year?

Does kale come back every year? Although kale is normally grown as an annual plant, it is actually a biennial, which means it has a two-year life cycle. In its first growing season, your kale plant will produce lots of leafy green foliage.

What can you not plant with kale?

Kale (Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green vegetable and member of the cabbage family. Varieties include lacinato, red Russian, and dinosaur kale. Avoid planting kale with other brassicas (like broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and Swiss chard), as they can fall prey to the same pests and diseases.

What do you do with kale after flowering?

Even after the leaves have turned bitter, the flowers the plant produces are pretty tasty, and can be eaten like you would broccoli florets. If you end up with more leaves than you can use in one meal, toss them into a plastic bag and store them in the dehumidifier drawer of your refrigerator.