I planted my first batch of kale seeds under grow lights the other day and let me tell you Bob, the chickens were pretty excited. I may not love kale, but my hens sure do and I plan on growing a boatload of kale this year for our hens in front of the chicken run and some planters so they can enjoy some yummy treats this summer.
If you have never grown anything before, kale might be a good place to start. It’s frost hardy, and most importantly, you can’t kill it. Trust me, I’ve tried.
Brief description: Kale is a hardy dark leafy green that is part of the cabbage family.
Where to Plant Kale: Kale thrives in garden beds, raised beds, and even containers. It is a cool season crop that can be grown outdoors all year long in milder climates, or started and maintained indoors throughout the winter.
Planting Seeds: Plant seeds about 1/4″ deep, with 4 seeds every 10″. Thin to 1 every 10″ when plants are about 1″ tall. Space rows 18-24″.
Growing Tips: Plant in early spring abut 1-2 weeks before average last frost {or start indoors like I am}, or in late summer for a fall harvest.
How to Harvest: Harvest when leaves are about as big as your hand. Tear off the outer leaves and try to leave the center of the plant intact to encourage continuous growth.
My Favorite Kale recipes:
Quiche with Kale, Bacon, Mushroom and Cheese Recipe
So tell me, are you a fan of kale, or are you growing it for your chickens as well?
~Mavis
crlzmmr says
Help!
How are people planning on keeping rats out of their gardens?
Last year rats took bites out of my tomatoes,
and today while I was watching the rain,
a huge rat walked by.
I have already spent the money planting raspberries + strawberries.
I would hate to think that I am just going to be feeding the rats again.
Debbie says
crlzmmr where do you live? Here is north Texas we have a HUGE rat problem. I’ve only lived here a few years, but the locals say that the city tried to eradicate rat snakes a while back and did a fantastic job. Now, there are rats everywhere. Like Mavis, I too live in high maintenance suburbia and love to garden but between the rats and the birds there isn’t much left for us to eat LOL. I’m moving soon, but would have to end up with the same problem elsewhere.
crlzmmr says
I live in San Diego, CA.
I blame the rat problem on crows/ravens.
They moved in a few years ago
and ate (snakes) or chased away (hawks) things
that used to keep the rat population under control.
They also eat birds’ eggs and baby birds.
When I was young, a wild bluejay would come
and eat peanuts from my hand. (I named him “Boots”)
Now I rarely see bluejays.
Bina says
I have dogs that I let run in my garden area so they take care of most of the little beasties that used to destroy my garden. That and I sprinkle (don’t get grossed out) used clay kitty litter around my garden and this helps with the bunnies, mice and voles….they don’t like the smell of cats cause cats think they are tasty treats.
We had rats (we live near a river and our back neighbor had a old wood pile they were living in) a few summers ago. The dogs and enclosed rat traps did the trick for us.
Good luck!
crlzmmr says
Ok. I will try this.
Thanks
Sherle says
I’ve planted and am planting kale. We love the stuff, eat it all the time and we don’t have chickens, so it will be all for us! 🙂
Cathy says
I am planting kale for the first time this year. We were given a huge amount of kale, and I made some kale chips. My kids ate 3-4 batches a day until the kale went limp. Now they are begging for it and I can’t afford to buy that much kale every week, even though I’m tickled that they think it’s a great replacement for potato chips!
UgaVic says
I fell in love with Kale chips and sauted Kale at a gardening/farming work retreat this past summer….much will be planted in our garden this year!
Chickens will get ‘leftovers’ IF there are any 🙂
Judy says
I’m in this year. Never had it before and I plan on giving a lot to my sister who really wants it. She calls it a power food.
Tracy says
The olive garden makes some yummy potato soup with kale and spicy sausage. I’m kinda a fan of it in soups now. It doesn’t get soggy or slimy.
Hege says
I am growing Kale this year for the first time! Buying it for 3 dollars a bunch for my green smoothies…that is motivation for me!
Wynne says
The chickens at my son’s preschool LOVE kale (is it the calcium?). But they only get the old and wilting stuff from me–the rest goes into green smoothies, salad, soup, and sautes. I had trouble growing kale, getting it to put on size and endure pests. I think I planted it too late last spring. My fall/winter planting, with a dose of Bt, is doing better.
Kyle says
All of the sources online that I have read keep saying about how Kale is so hardy and impossible to kill… and yet that has been the opposite of my experience with it. I started an indoor garden about a month ago, and of my initial batch of plants, I grew lettuce just fine, peas took off like crazy, spinach germinated about 20% of the time (but those that did are taking off really nicely), dill has grown steadily and lemon balm is looking really healthy. The one exception is the Kale.
100% of the seeds germinate. They grow really quickly to about 1.5″ tall with their first true leaves…. and then stay there. Eventually their seed leaves wither and die, and their true leaves just look paler and paler until they eventually just die. They do not get leggy and fall over, they do not show any signs of mold or anything that I can find. They just don’t grow.
Temperatures outside have ranged from 28 degrees (-2c) to 65 degrees (18c), with the climate inside obviously being more stable. Humidity has ranged from 64-45%. I have even tried a new batch of soil and grow lights to supplement the 8 hours of natural sunlight that they get. No change. If anything this is the most sensitive plant that I have ever grown :S