As a result, the ornamental stuff is much less flavorful than the “edible” culinary leafy greens. However, the leaves of these varieties are safe to eat. Just make sure to stay away from the roots, which are poisonous in any type of kale.

While ornamental cabbage and kale are edible, they tend to have a bitter flavor and are often used in a culinary setting as garnishes. Ornamental cabbage and kale are prized primarily as colorful additions to home gardens where they are grown for their large rosettes of white, pink, purple or red leaves.

Flowering kale and cabbage, also called ornamental cabbage and kale, are two colorful stars of the fall garden. You can actually eat them, but they’re really grown for their pretty leaves.

Flowering cabbage and kale are similar in color, appearance and size. The main difference is that cabbage leaves have smooth edges and kale leaves are frilly or crinkled. Their leaves are frilly or crinkled or serrated along the edges. Both actually look like large flowers in the garden.

Kale can cause kidney and bladder stones Kale might be nutritious for humans, but keep it away from your dogs. Lots of pet owners have started feeding kale ribs to their dogs as a treat, but kale is high in calcium oxalate, which can cause health issues including kidney and bladder stones.

Replace your flowering annuals with ornamental cabbage or kale. The plant with the large smooth leaves is considered the ornamental cabbage while the plant with the fringed ruffled leaves is considered the ornamental kale. They are considered an annual which means they will not grow back the following season.

Kale (Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green vegetable and member of the cabbage family. Varieties include lacinato, red Russian, and dinosaur kale. Avoid planting kale with other brassicas (like broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and Swiss chard), as they can fall prey to the same pests and diseases.

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.

Yes, Kale regrows after cutting if the top leaf is not cut off. When cutting kale for the purpose of regrowing, use a pruner or scissor to cut off some leaves while leaving the top most leaf. Cutting kale leaves incorrectly will delay in growing new leaves or affect its germination when propagating it through cuttings.

How to Harvest Kale

1. Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand.
2. Pick about one fistful of leaves per harvest.
3. Avoid picking the terminal bud (found at the top center of the plant) because this will help to keep the plant productive.
4. Kale will continue growing until it’s 20°F.

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. In USDA hardiness zones 7 through 10, it will keep producing new leaves throughout the winter.

One of the most nutritious shade loving vegetables around, kale thrives in just a few hours of sunlight per day. Kale is also extremely cold tolerant, making it a great crop for fall harvests. Don’t expect huge leaves in the shade, but tender baby chard leaves are amply produced with only three hours of sun per day.

Site Preparation. Kale grows best in full sun and cool, moist soil that is enriched with organic compost. Before planting, incorporate a legume cover crop or work in 30 pounds of compost per 100 square feet. Kale requires moderate amounts of fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Mix water and a few drops of nontoxic dish detergent and put it into a spray bottle. Spritz the kale leaves with the soapy water. This coats the leaves with a bitter residue that repels bugs, while also suffocating any existing pests. Release ladybugs onto your kale plants.

1 to 2 feet tall

That leads me to another fact that growers new-to-kale may not realize: Kale is essentially a perennial crop, meaning it continues to grow and produce through multiple seasons, even multiple years, if you care for it correctly. An essential part of this care: harvesting.

Seedlings should be planted firmly into moist but well-drained soil, in full sun to partial shade. Plants will benefit from adding well-composted manure to the soil before planting. And a good mulch is also helpful to keep plants moist and weed free.