Use these tips for harvesting kale at its best.
Methods for How to Harvest Kale
There are two differentways to pick kale.
One is to snap off individual leaves from the stem as needed.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Or usepruning shearsto snip off the leaf close to the stem.
The other method for how to harvest kale is to pull up the whole plant.
This is best when you need a lot of kale for a recipe.
After uprooting the plant, cut the roots off the stem with a kitchen knife.
Then, remove all the leaves from the stem before washing and storing them.
Start picking kale after the plant has reached its mature height.
What that height is depends on the variety of kale you’re growing.
This information should be listed either on the seed package or theplant tag that came with the starter plant.
Kale is one vegetable that handles a light freeze and often tastes sweeter after going through one.
Wait towash the leavesuntil you want to use them.
This will help minimize moisture in the bag that can cause mold or speed decay.
Use your fresh kale leaves within a week of harvesting, or they’ll start to go bad.
How to Harvest Kale Seeds
Kale is abiennialthat needs a cold or dormancy period before producing seed.
At that point, the plant puts its energy into making flowers and seeds instead of leaves.
Once a vegetable goes to seed, the plant’s flavor usually declines.
If you’re interested inharvesting kale seeds, you’ll need to plant your kale differently.
Kale flowers aren’t self-fertilizing, meaning more than one plant is required to produce seeds.
Planting ten plants close together will ensure a good level of pollination.
After pollination, tiny seed pods will start to form.
Let thepods dry naturally on the plantuntil they’re light brown.
Pick out any debris from the pods that end up in the bowl.
Let the seeds air dry on a paper towel or dish for one week.
Allowing all moisture to dry is extremely important for preventingmold and rot later.
The seeds can then be placed in a storage container and labeled.
A clean and empty prescription pill bottle makes a great seed container.
Store your seeds in a dry, dark place.
If dried and stored correctly, kale seeds can last for four years.
Cannellini and farrow combine with kale for a hearty and flavorfulMediterranean stew.
Kale is a versatile ingredient, so try it instead of other green leafy vegetables in your favorite recipes.
