Growing kale

Kale collard (kale) is a cruciferous plant that is used in cooking and landscaping. This variety of cabbage does not form a head of cabbage, its leaves are double, the stem is hard. All parts of the vegetable are used in food, except for the stalk, since it is too hard and bitter. To get a rich harvest of kale, it is important to choose the right place for planting, water and feed the crop on time.

Growing kale

Kale, or kale, is grown by seed and seedling methods. Whichever method is used, it is important to follow the rules of breeding and care.

How to grow seedlings

In order not to damage cabbage seedlings when picking and transferring to a permanent place, the seeds are immediately planted in separate pots or cassette boxes. Sowing dates directly depend on the region. It is started 45–55 days before the planned planting of plants in the ground.

Soil and seed preparation

First of all, seed material is prepared:

1. The seeds are immersed in water heated to + 45 ... + 50 ° C for 20 minutes.
2. Transfer to cold water for 5 minutes.
3. Stand for 20 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
4. Place the seeds in a damp cloth for 2-3 days for germination and put them in a warm place.
5. After the sprouts appear, the seed is planted in previously prepared containers with soil.

Correct seeding

For growing seedlings of collard greens, use ready-made bio-soil or make the mixture yourself. To do this, sand, soil from the site, humus and peat are combined in proportions of 0.5: 1: 1: 2. As fertilizer and for disinfection, add 3 tbsp for 1 bucket of soil. l. ash.

The seeds are buried 1.5 cm into the soil, sprinkled with earth and lightly slapped with your hands. The container is covered with cling film or glass and removed to a warm place until shoots appear.

Important! To prevent crops from dying, the shelter is removed daily for 1-2 hours for ventilation.

To obtain healthy seedlings, its daylight hours should be 10-12 hours. For this, additional lighting is included. The air temperature is maintained at about + 16 ° C.

Landing in the ground

The ideal place for kale is a slightly shaded and sunny flat area. Favorable neighbors and predecessors for culture:

• peas;
• garlic;
• potatoes;
• cucumbers;
• sage;
• beans;
• spinach;
• celery;
• dill.

Do not plant after other crucifers, beets and radishes.

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Soil preparation

Collard greens grown on sour soil turns out to be bitter, with small leaves. To normalize acidity, 500 g of dolomite flour per 1 m² is added to the soil. A suitable soil pH for the crop is 5.5-6.8.

The site is dug up by immersing the shovel on a full bayonet. In the fall, add 3-4 kg of humus per 1 m² to the soil, in the spring - complex mineral fertilizers (100 g per 1 m²). Usually they use "Fitosporin", "Hera for cabbage", "Kaliyphos N" and "Agricola". Then small holes are made at a distance of 30–40 cm from each other. 50-60 cm are left between the rows.

Landing

Kale seedlings are ready to be transferred outdoors 4-6 weeks after sowing. Plants 8–10 cm high should have 4 full leaves.

Seedlings are planted after the threat of frost has passed, and the air warms up to + 5 ° C. Algorithm of actions:

1. Make a hole so deep that the root system, together with a lump of earth from the glass, fits completely in it.
2. Add a mixture of wood ash and clay in a 1: 1 ratio.
3. Immerse the seedling in the hole along with the seed leaves.
4. Sprinkle with earth and tamp lightly.
5. Drizzle with warm water.

In order for the cabbage to take root better, the beds with it are covered with a greenhouse film or special covering material. They remove it after 5-7 days.

Caring for kale

Caring for this crop is not much different from growing other varieties of cabbage. It includes timely watering, top dressing, treatment against diseases and pests, soil mulching.

Watering

Collard greens prefer moderately moist soil. On cloudy days, it is watered once every 5 days, on hot days - 2-3 times a week. To prevent the soil from hardening, it is periodically loosened (1-2 times a week).

After the plants reach 20 cm in height, they are spud. This helps to strengthen the root system and retain moisture.

Mulching

Experienced gardeners advise immediately after planting to cover the soil around the seedlings with straw, hay or sawdust. Mulching will protect the soil from drying out, the appearance of root rot and violent growth of weeds.

Top dressing

Fertilize collard greens, like other garden crops, with organic and mineral mixtures. It is important to observe the timing and dosage of making the compounds:

• for the first time, feces are fed 2 weeks after planting, use a urea solution (1 tbsp. l. per 10 l of water);
• 2-3 weeks after the first feeding, the cabbage is watered with a mullein solution (1 kg per 10 liters of water);
• the last time fertilizers are applied after another 3-4 weeks, most often they use nitrophoska (1 tbsp. l. per 10 l of water).

The consumption of any type of fertilizer is the same - 1 liter per 1 bush. Top dressing is applied after evening watering.

Experienced vegetable growers feed kale with a mixture of chicken manure and grass. This composition is used instead of mullein solution. Prepare it as follows:

1. A barrel with a volume of 100 liters is filled with water.
2. Put 10 kg of fresh grass in it.
3. Add 2-3 kg of dry chicken manure.
4. When foam appears, mix the solution well every day. This will speed up the fermentation.
5. After 1-3 weeks, when the composition stops foaming, it will be completely ready for use.

For feeding, the solution is diluted with warm water in proportions 1: 1. Water the cabbage at the root: take 1 liter for 1 bush.

Removing wilted leaves

Damaged leaves the cabbage has a kale - bait for various harmful insects. Therefore, if even slight signs of wilting appear on them, they are immediately removed.

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Conclusion

Kale is a garden crop known for its high content of proteins, iron and vitamins B, A, K and PP. A correctly chosen place on the site, soil composition, timely watering and feeding with nutrients will help to get a rich harvest.