DescriptionCurly Halbhoher Kale SeedsDAYS TO HARVEST 60 45 days for baby leavesSOWING Direct sow curly halbhoher kale seeds ~3-4″ apart 1/2″ deep. Thin to ~10″ apart (and eat thinnings!) OR Start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost and transplant 10-12″ apart. Recommended to harden off 2-4 days before transplanting.Last planting should be around end of June for fall crops (zone 5B)LIGHT PREFERENCE Partial to full sunSOIL REQUIREMENTS Well draining soil with high organic matter – fairly pH tolerantPLANT HEIGHT ~4″ for baby greens 8-10″ for bunching greensPLANT SPACING ~12″ per plant for bunching kale 2-4″ for baby greensHARDINESS ZONES Hardy. Can tolerate frost and over winter in some areasHARVEST Bunching greens: harvest outer most leaves for a continual harvest Baby greens: cut ~1″ above soil for cut and come again greens for 3-5 harvestsUSES & COOKING SUGGESTIONSMassaged Kale Salad from Lisa at Turtle Tree Seed2 bunches of kale 1/2 teaspoon salt, ideally sea salt 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or grapeseed)1/2 lemon 1-2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp rice vinegarStrip leaves from the stems (discard stems or use for stock or pickle them!). Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add oil, salt, lemon, honey, and vinegar. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to break down the outer waxy protection* of the kale leaf and to mix in the flavoring. Stop when the volume of greens is reduced by about half and the greens look a little darker and somewhat shiny. Add vinegar, honey, and salt to taste. Dried cranberries, sliced apples or pears, nuts, and Parmesan, goat, or feta cheese pair well in this salad.*some brassicas such as cabbage, kale, collards, and broccoli have cuticular wax on their leaves serving to protect them against some insects and to retain moisture. Some people have difficulty breaking this substance down during digestion and therefor eating these and like vegetables raw may cause indigestion or gas. Massaging kale allows this substance to be broken down while keeping the vegetable raw making it easier to digest!
