Learn to grow kale and collards the green way

Kale and collards are leafy green vegetables that can be cooked or eaten raw as salad greens.  A touch of frost sharpens their flavour, making them great for cold climates. We'll teach you how to grow them the green way.

• Both kale and collards require fertile soil that isn't too acidic. If acidity is a problem, lime your soil well ahead of planting to a pH of 6.5 or above .
• Enrich your soil with organic matter. Spread a 3 - 5 centimetre (1 - 2 inch) layer of compost or well-rotted manure over the planting area and work it into the top few centimetres (top inch) of soil.

• Plant kale and collards outdoors in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
• Sow seeds 3 centimetres (1 inch) apart in 3 centimetre (1 inch) furrows spaced 60 to 90 centimetres (25 to 35 inches) apart, then cover with 1 centimetre (1/2 inch) of soil. The seeds should germinate in 7 - 10 days.

• When the seedlings are about 8 centimetres (3 inches) high, start thinning them gradually until the plants stand 60 centimetres (25 inches) apart, and use the thinnings for salads.
• Because the plants grow fairly tall and have heavy leaves, they should be supported against strong winds.
• When staking, be careful not to injure the shallow, spreading roots.
• Set the stakes along the row during the thinning process, and tie on the plants when they reach about 30 centimetres (12 inches) in height.
• Because kale and collards have roots that grow close to the surface of the soil, be careful in weeding. Hoe no deeper than 3 centimetres (1 inch) to avoid cutting the roots. A thick mulch will deter weed growth.
• Fertilize these vegetables at least once during the growing season, scattering a band of fish meal or alfalfa meal on each side of the row at the rate of 200 to 250 grams (1 cup) per 3 metres (10 feet) of row.

• You can begin harvesting kale after a month, when the leaves have turned a rich green. Remember that if the leaves become too dark, they'll turn tough and bitter.
• Don't take too many leaves from a single plant or it will stop growing.
• To maintain kale in cold weather, mulch each plant heavily with straw, salt hay, or leaf mulch. Alternatively, you can hill earth up around the bottom of the stem for several centimetres (1 inch).
• Collards are fully mature 2 - 3 months after planting, but you can begin eating them much sooner.
• You can harvest the whole plant or cut off some leaves from the bottom of the stem. When cutting, be careful not to injure the central growing bud because new leaves are formed only as the stem grows.

• Many diseases feed on the plant family that includes kale, collards, cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Don't plant kale or collards where any of these plants have been grown in the past year or two.
• Kale and collards are prey for cabbage worms. If you see these pests, you can control them by spraying the plants with the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis.

Kale and collards are some of the most nutritious veggies around. They're packed full of beneficial vitamins and minerals and are a versatile ingredient either cooked or raw. If you're looking to get more greens into your diet, it's simple to grow collards or kale at home. So what are you waiting for? Get planting!