CorseMachin | Prickly Kale Leaves - Does Kale Have Thorns

Does kale have thorns? Most gardeners would say no, yet this question occasionally pops up on gardening forums, often accompanied by photos showing prickly kale leaves. These sharp spines on kale leaves can be abrasive and they certainly don't seem very palatable.

Should I cut the flowers off my kale plant?
Can you eat kale flowers raw?
Can I eat purple kale?
Will Kale regrow after cutting?
Why is my kale bolting?
What does kale look like when it flowers?
Does Kale come up every year?
Can you eat kale tops?
How do you know when purple kale is bad?
What is purple kale good for?
Are all types of kale edible?

Should I cut the flowers off my kale plant?

You can eat the stems or discard them—it's up to you. If you cook the kale, the stems will become more tender. ... When the weather warms, your kale plants will send up flower stalks and produce pretty yellow flowers. The plants become ornamental in the garden, and you can cut the flowers for arrangements.

Can you eat kale flowers raw?

The flowers are nice to nibble straight from the plant and sprinkled on top of salads.

Can I eat purple kale?

Ornamental kale is still edible, but you probably wouldn't enjoy it much, as the plant is fairly tough and chewy. ... With its upright habit, tightly curled leaves and deep purple color, 'Redbor' is probably the most stunning variety of kale you will ever see - and it's also edible.

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!

Why is my kale bolting?

Kale can bolt the following spring when it overwinters in your garden. When the temperatures begin to warm it can send up a flower stalk because it is a biennial plant that produces flowers and seed the second year of its life cycle. The leaves will become more bitter when it bolts.

What does kale look like when it flowers?

Kale florets are the soon-to-be-flowers of the kale plant. They look and taste much like sprouting broccoli, and they couldn't come at a better time. Nothing much is harvestable right now in the hunger gap of early spring, but stalwart kale sees warmer days ahead and starts pumping out the florets.

Does Kale come up 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.

Can you eat kale tops?

First things first: Kale and collard stems are tough, chewy, and fibrous. While we enjoy the occasional raw collard or kale salad, you should never eat the stems raw.

How do you know when purple kale is bad?

How to Tell If Kale Has Gone Bad. As kale ages, it will begin to lose moisture and wilt. The leaves will change from a rich dark color, to a pale greenish yellow, and eventually turn brown. After too long, the wilted leaves will become soggy and liquid will leak out.

What is purple kale good for?

What are the Nutritional Benefits of Purple Kale? All varieties of kale are awesome for you! But purple kale in particular is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, dietary fiber, and potassium.

Are all types of kale edible?

The colored varieties — sometimes called salad Savoy — are most often grown for ornamental purposes, but they're edible. You've probably heard (for some, ad nauseam) that kale is a superfood. ... But “besides its good looks, flavor, and benefits to garden ecology, kale is good food,” DeJohn says.