Freshen Up Your Wintered Kale

I like kale. It survives the winters here in Maryland. Come March it is beginning to grow new leaves. It is important to tend to it. The battered leaves need to be removed. The damaged stems can be cut back. You will see leaves growing along all parts of the stem. Sadly, the have white-flies. If I can't control the pests, I will have to remove the plants. We will see.


This is how it survived the winter. It is March 18th. The whole box needs a cleaning out. The damaged leaves will be removed. The unused soil will be amended with peat moss and organic matter later this week.

The same kale with leaves cut back. Dang white-flies. The pile in back has insects. It was bagged on this plot and put right to the curb. You don't want to drag the trash bag plot to plot because you will have a chance of moving the insects to a place they shouldn't be. Bag the trash and take it to the curb.

This is a different variety of kale that grows up more of a stem. I not only removed the damage leaves but cut the tops off. You can see leaves  on the stems.

The stem on this plant is damaged from the winter. I will remove it. You can see the new growth at the bottom.

Cleaned up kale and it is ready to grow new leaves. Kale typically seeds the second year. So it will bolt. I will plant my new seedlings and they will grow to replace these. You can eat the kale flowers too.