Green vegetables can be used in most recipes when cooking. On top of having a unique flavor, the green leaves also come with tons of health benefits. This is why people often decide to plant vegetables in their homes. Though, when it comes to this, some important things should be kept in mind. Selecting the type of vegetable that you want to plant can be essential as these have unique features on them.
Additionally, the steps required to keep the plants maintained also play a huge role in which one should be used. Talking about this, a common vegetable that people often use is kale. When it comes to this, you might notice users asking” Does kale come back every year?”. This is why we will be using this article to provide you with all the information required about this question. Moreover, going through the details should also help you in keeping the plant healthy at all times.
Does Kale Come Back Every Year?
Kales are often classified as biennial plants. These are vegetables that leave behind seedlings every year, but the time required for them to grow can vary. This usually ranges from 1 to 2 years, but most people report that even if the plant grows before 2 years, then its flowers can still take some time to bloom. This is why if you are thinking about harvesting kale then growing them as annuals is a better option. These are plants that can last you the entire season while growing new flowers quickly.
Though, once the season is over, the plant will start to die out. Even though new seedlings are left behind by kale, you will have to skip an entire year to get a new harvest. Considering this, the better option is that you remove the seedlings and grow new kale plants every year. This ensures that you can harvest the vegetable every year without running into any issues.
Other than this, another option that you have is treating the plant as a “cut and come again” crop. When it comes to this, the user has to take off the leaves required for the harvest. These are the top green leaves that are edible and can be used in different dishes and salads. You can then leave your plant and keep it maintained throughout the winters.
Once the spring comes back, you should be able to get new plants that can be harvested. Leaving the plant during winters can also help in getting new leaves as soon as the plant is back in season. Though, you have to take care of several things as keeping the plant protected during winters is important. This helps in ensuring that the roots stay healthy so that new branches can grow, and the leaves can spread.
Taking Care Of Kale Plants During Winters
Now that you understand that kale plants cannot come back every year if the plant completely die, you must learn how to take care of the vegetable during winters. When it comes to the temperatures that kale grows best in, you will notice that colder environments are better. Though, the plant only starts blooming when winters are over.
This is because the plant uses the frost in winter to add flavor to its leaves. The process helps in making the leaves on your kale plants sweeter which is why you should keep the healthy during frost. People usually have to cut the branches during this time and take off leaves that have started to change color.
While you can take off dead leaves, some people also recommend that you remove any leaves that have started getting yellow or ragged. You can take off as many leaves as you want to as long as a total of four are left behind. These should be enough to keep the plant sustained while new leaves can continue growing.
If the plant is kept in zones 7 to 10 then new leaves should keep on growing even if winters are here. Hence, it is important to note that weather plays a huge role in how your kale leaves will grow out. You can add fertilizers to the plant during this time to help you out. As these nutrients help most plants in staying healthy and bloom quickly.