Monday, August 3, 2020
Growing Kale - Homesteading 101
A hardy biennial usually grown as an annual.
Height 12-18" Width 8-12"
When it comes to Kale in salads, Kale adds substance, color, and most importantly nutrition. Its colorful leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals. Kale's leaf texture can range from deeply puckered to deeply frilled.
Types:
Curley Leaf (Scotts Kale). Noticeable pungent flavor with a peppery quality.
Dinosaur Kale. Hearty leaves that are tall and narrow. It retains its firm texture even after cooking. It is slightly sweeter with a more delicate taste.
Red Russian Kale. Flat, fringed leaves that resemble large Arugula leaves. Great sweet flavor with a bit of pepper.
Rape kale (aka Leaf and Spear). A cross between a curly leaf and plain leaf.
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Starting Seeds of Kale
Seed Depth: 1/2"
Seed Spacing: 3"
Days to Germinate: 5-7 days.
Days to Harvest:
70-95 from seed. 55-75 days from transplants.
Seed Longevity: 2 years.
Sowing Indoors:
Spring: Sow 5-7 weeks before your last average frost date. Plant out as transplants 1-2 weeks before your average expected frost date.
Sowing Outdoors:
Spring: Direct sow 2-4 weeks before your average last frost date or as soon as the soil can be worked.
Salad Spinner
Winter Sowing
If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat. This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens. Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.Growing Kale Plants
Plant Spacing: Thin plants to 12-15" apart.
Container Size: 6-8" depth.
Sun/Shade: Part sun/part shade.
Soil: Rich in nitrogen.
Watering: Consistent moisture for best flavor.
Water heavily during the growing season.
Fertilizing:
If grown in nutrient-rich soil, your Kale plants won't need any fertilizer until after the first flush of leaves. Then one side dressing of balanced fertilizer is all that the plant should need for the growing season.
Harvesting Kale
Harvest Kale when the plant is 8-10" high, starting with the outside leaves. To harvest the entire plant, cut 2" above ground level. The plant will sprout new leaves in 1-2 weeks.Using Kale
- Remove stems before cooking.
- Use young leaves raw in salads
- Substitute Kale for spinach in any recipe.
- Kale chips, kale pesto, sauteed Kale, Kale Quich, Kale Soup, Kale slaw.
Kale can also be used as a garnish!
Storing Kale For Later Use
Although tender green leaves, like Lettuce, can't be preserved well, the thicker leaved greens can be.
Fresh
- Clean and pat dry. Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag. Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.
- Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
- Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
- Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
- Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
- Blanching the leaves for two minutes first will extend freezer storage to 14 months.
To read the other articles in our Growing Your Greens series, click on the name below:
Swiss Chard
Check out our other great gardening articles: Click Here
Check out our hosta articles: Click Here
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.
Sunday, August 2, 2020
Growing Radicchio - Homesteading 101
Radicchio
aka Red Chicory
Tender perennial grown as an annual
Height 6-12" Width 6-12"
This bitter Italian heading chicory is a salad favorite for its color alone. It has gorgeous deep garnet white-based leaves that add rich color and texture to salads. The heads are small, reaching a size between an orange and a grapefruit.
Types: Mostly heading types
Starting Seeds of Radicchio
Seed Depth: 1/8th" or less.Seed Spacing: 6" apart.
Germination Temp: Optimum 70-75 degrees.
Days to Germinate: 7-14.
Days to Harvest: 60-65 or 120-130 days, depending on the variety.
Seed Longevity: 4 years.
Sowing Indoors:
Spring: 8-10 weeks before your average last frost date.
Plant out 4 weeks before your average last frost date.
Sowing Outdoors:
Spring: Direct Sow 8 weeks before your average last frost date.
Fall: Direct Sow mid-summer.
Salad Spinner
Winter Sowing
If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat. This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens. Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.For a detailed article about Winter Sowing, click here.
Salad Tongs
Growing Radicchio Plants
Growing Temperature: 45-75 degrees. Light frosts sweeten the flavor.Can survive into the low 20's.
Plant Spacing: Space seedlings 6" apart. Mature size 8".
Container Size: 8"+ deep. Radicchio has shallow roots.
Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny. Likes part shade during the hottest part
of the day.
Soil: Can grow in a variety of soils. Prefers good drainage.
Watering: Consistent irrigation for the best flavor.
Fertilizing:
If fertilizing is necessary, a side dressing of high nitrogen (the first number on the N-P-K scale), lower phosphate (the second number on the N-P-K-scale) isrecommended when the plant is almost a third of the way through the season.
Growing Tips
- If the plant sends up a stalk instead of forming a head, cut off the stalk at ground level to encourage the formation of a new head.
- The bitter flavor is often due to hot weather.
Harvesting Radicchio
As soon as heads are firm and compact.Radicchio matures in approximately 3 months. It should be picked when it's mature, but not old.
Using Radicchio
- Eat fresh or cook like Spinach.
- Core out the small heads and remove the center to create leafy bread.
- Radicchio's bitter flavor pairs well with the acidic sweetness of Balsamic Vinegar.
- Salt will counteract the bitter flavor and draw out the high sugar content.
Storing Radicchio For Later Use
Although tender green-leafed plants, like lettuce, cannot be preserved well, the thicker green-leafed plants can be.Fresh
- Clean and pat dry. Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag. Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.
Freezing for Later Use in Chilis, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.
- Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
- Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
- Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
- Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
- Blanching the leaves for two minutes will extend freezer storage to 14 months.
To read the other articles in our Growing Your Greens series, click on the name below:
Swiss Chard
Check out our other great gardening articles: Click Here
Check out our hosta articles: Click Here
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.
Saturday, August 1, 2020
Growing Swiss Chard - Homesteading 101
Swiss Chard
aka Spinach Beet, Leaf Beet
Annual, Perennial in warmer climates.
Height: 1-3' Width: Up to 2'
Swiss Chard is both edible and beautiful as an ornamental plant. It has colorful stems and bright green leaves making it as glamorous as it is nutritious. It is high in vitamins A and C and a good source of calcium. Swiss Chard will keep growing long after other greens have bolted.
Types:
Reddish, creamy white or colorful stalks, all of which taste mostly the same.
Starting Seeds of Swiss Chard
Seed Depth: 1/2" to 3/4" deep.Seed Spacing: 4", or thin seedlings later to 4" apart.
Germination Temp: 50+ degrees. Optimum 85 degrees.
Days to Germinate: 5-7 days.
Days to Harvest: 40 - 60 days, depending on the variety.
Seed Longevity: 4 years.
Sowing Indoors:
Spring: Sow 2 weeks before your average last frost date. Plant outside after threat of frost has passed.
Sowing Outdoors:
Spring: Direct Sow outdoors after the last frost date.
Fall: Direct Sow 10 weeks before the average first frost date.
Lettuce Spinner
Winter Sowing
If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat. This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens. Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.See our Winter Sowing article on our website for detailed information.
Salad Tongs
Growing Swiss Chard Plants
Growing Temperature: Tolerates both cool weather and heat.
Tolerates light frosts in the spring and fall.
Plant Spacing: 5" to harvest often. Mature plants 12".
Container Size: 12" deep, 12" wide. 3 in a 14" wide pot.
Sun/Shade: Prefers sun, but will tolerate shade.
Soil: Rich, fertile. Amend with some compost.
Watering: Consistent moisture for best flavor.
Fertilizing
Since greens are such a fast-growing crop, as long as they are grown in rich soil there may be little need for further fertilization. That said, a liquid balanced fertilizer when the seedlings are 4" tall will give your greens a boost and carry them through their short season. After the temperatures warm, though, the leaves of Swiss Chard will turn bitter and no amount of fertilizer will help at that point.Harvesting Swiss Chard
Harvest anytime leaves are big enough to eat, usually at 6".
Cut stalks from the outside of the plant, leaving the heart which will continue to grow. Overgrown chard will lose flavor.
Using Swiss Chard
- Use young raw leaves in salads.
- Large leaves can be cooked down like Spinach to use in casseroles, soups, and pasta.
Storing Swiss Chard For Later Use
Although tender green-leafed plants, like lettuce, cannot be preserved well, the thicker green-leafed plants can be.Fresh
- Clean and pat dry. Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag. Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.
Freezing for Later Use in Chilis, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.
- Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
- Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
- Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
- Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
- Blanching the leaves first will extend freezer storage to 14 months.
To read the other articles in our Growing Your Greens series, click on the name below:
To read the other articles in our Growing Your Greens series, click on the name below:
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases without costing you anything extra.
Fast Growing Hostas
Fast Growing Hostas
The sheer amount of hostas available on the market today can make your head swim! And there is a special beauty in those well-established mature hostas. They are always a stand out in the perennial garden.
So how do you get your hostas to grow quickly in your garden?
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Best Gifts for Senior Dogs
Best Gifts for Senior Dogs
Who doesn't love senior dogs? They have wise eyes, those beautiful white faces and they are so thankful to just have a home where they can rest peacefully and safely.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The Beauty of Variegated Hostas!
The Beauty of Variegated Hostas!
Hostas continue to be one of the most popular perennial plants for shade and part sunny gardens, and for good reason. The sheer amount of available hosta sizes, shapes and leaf colors and designs ensures you can find one or several to fit into your garden scheme.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Great Gardening Gift Ideas for Kids!
Great Gardening Gift Ideas for Kids
I've been gardening for many years, and one of my favorite things to do is get kids involved in gardening. It can serve as a great outside classroom.
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Pruning Hostas
Pruning Hostas
Hostas are well known to be one of the easiest perennials to grow.
And while pruning hosta leaves isn't necessary to maintain your hostas' shape or size, you can keep them looking beautiful as long as possible during the season with some easy seasonal pruning.
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