Edible Heirlooms by Bill Thorness

Author:Bill Thorness [Thorness, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781594855122
Publisher: The Mountaineers Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

KALE & COLLARDS

Brassica oleracea

Although quite different in appearance, both kale and collards are stewing greens that are quite hardy and rich in vitamins. They’re very easy to grow and do well in a cool maritime climate, where they can produce heavily during warmer weather and continue to thrive through fall and winter. They actually become sweeter after being hit by frost.

Kale and collards are close relatives, members of the huge Brassica genus that includes broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and mustards. Collards used to be called “colewort,” and the name “kale” is also derived from the root col-, revealing why brassicas are often called “cole crops.”

There are basically two types of kale: one with heavily curled leaves on an upright stalk, the other growing in a more open, broad-leaved manner. Collards generally grow as a collection of loose, open-headed leaves.

Both plants are great for soups or stewed with potatoes, or for a dish of “pot greens” with garlic, onion, and cooking stock. The sturdy, slightly bitter greens also stand well next to meat. Colonial Williamsburg’s garden historian Wesley Green says that “beef and greens” was a dish found in Colonial diaries and that by “greens” the European settlers meant kale.

CULTIVATION

These brassicas take well to transplanting, so spring sowings may be started indoors and transplanted out after six weeks. They may also be direct-sown in midspring, after the soil has warmed somewhat. They need a soil temperature of 55 to 75ºF to germinate. Avoid planting in the heat of summer, but plant again in late summer for an overwintering crop. Keep the soil moist throughout their growing season, especially through warm weather. Thin to 12 inches in rows 2 feet apart, or on 18-inch centers. Apply a balanced fertilizer after thinning.

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