How To Cut Kale Off The Plant
Overwintered plants will eventually bolt producing yellow flowers in spring signaling that its time to remove them and make room for other crops.
How to cut kale off the plant. If you cook the kale the stems will become more tender. Check the seed packet for specific times. So long as you continue to harvest in this fashion the plant will continue to produce new leaves from the top as it grows taller.
You can also bend and snap them off if desired. You can gently pull or tear the leaves away but be very careful not to tug on the entire plant break the main stem or uproot it all. Cutting leaves off will just leave a nub to rot.
Its best just to use your finger and pinch off the leaves one by one. Start with the lowest leaves. Some gardeners prefer to snap kale stems from the plants using their fingers.
Clear up any dropped leaves from the ground and weed around the plants to help prevent pests and diseases from hanging around on the soil. To allow new growth cut the stems above the growth point. If kale gets too tall you need to chop its head at about 4-5 inches from the soil.
Hold the leaf you want to cut with 1 hand. Simply gather the small plants into handfuls and cut the stems. If you keep picking from the centre you can postpone this a while longer.
The largest and oldest leaves on a kale plant are always near the bottom. Any leaves that are yellow should be discarded -- this means. If you cut off the top -- along with the terminal bud -- of a kale plant it will stop producing leaves.
Clear up any dropped leaves from the ground and weed around the plants to help prevent pests and diseases from hanging around on the soil.
How to cut kale off the plant. The best way to harvest kale is to cut off the mature leaves starting from the bottom of the plant and moving towards the top. Step 1 Fold the leaves of the kale together and hold them with your non-cutting hand. This way youre picking the older leaves first.
If any look damaged or yellow discard them. Start cutting leaves for cooking when plant is 8 to 10 inches high. Simply gather the small plants into handfuls and cut the stems.
When harvesting kale take as many leaves as you think youll use. Or be safe and use a knife or trimming shears to cut the leaves away. The video above from Renees Garden Seeds shows you an easy way to harvest baby kale leave.
For a fall or winter harvest direct-sow seeds about three months before your first fall frost date. Check the seed packet for specific times. Harvest when the leaves have reached the desired size usually about 8-inches long.
Cutting leaves off will just leave a nub to rot. If you keep picking from the centre you can postpone this a while longer. However if you nip the flower head off the plant will most likely develop more flowering side shoots that you can harvest and eat them like you would sprouting broccoli.
Leave about two inches worth of stem on each plant so that the leaves can grow back. Cut the largest leaves off with your pruning shears. Always harvest the older larger leaves that are closest to the bottom of the stalk and be sure to take each leaf stem-and-all.
Start with the lowest leaves.
How to cut kale off the plant. The centre of the plant will begin to elongate which shows it is starting to bolt. For a fall or winter harvest direct-sow seeds about three months before your first fall frost date. For an early summer harvest direct-sow seeds outdoors as soon as the soil is workable in the spring.
Step 1 Fold the leaves of the kale together and hold them with your non-cutting hand. So long as you continue to harvest in this fashion the plant will continue to produce new leaves from the top as it grows taller. This will leave the smaller ones intact so the plant can continue growing.
Leave about two inches worth of stem on each plant so that the leaves can grow back. Harvest when the leaves have reached the desired size usually about 8-inches long. However if you nip the flower head off the plant will most likely develop more flowering side shoots that you can harvest and eat them like you would sprouting broccoli.
Any leaves that are yellow should be discarded -- this means. If your kale plant is bolting early there is not a lot that you can do to stop the process. You can also bend and snap them off if desired.
Wash the leaves thoroughly and store them in a plastic bag. Alternatively you can harvest the entire plant cut 2 inches above the ground. Cut the outer lower stems with scissors or hand clippers to harvest them.
You can gently pull or tear the leaves away but be very careful not to tug on the entire plant break the main stem or uproot it all. If you keep picking from the centre you can postpone this a while longer. Or be safe and use a knife or trimming shears to cut the leaves away.