Welcome back for the fourth blog post in my series of FALL CROPS 😎
Blue Curled Scotch Kale, grown from seed 40-65 days from harvest
In this post, I will be going over more beginner Fall crops that need minimal upkeep and will ensure a potential harvest. I chose to write about Kale, Leeks and Garlic this entry because these crops grow exceptionally well with each other. Leeks and Garlic act as a natural bug repellent for the Kale, making it a bit easier for the gardener to tend to other parts of their garden. Also the vegetable crops feed off of each other. Every plant sucks in nutrients through the root system but also puts back certain nutrients it doesn't need for growth. In this case, Garlic will improve the overall growth of your Kale by accumulating traces of sulfur through its growth, which the Kale will feed off of increasing it's overall plant health whilst enhancing its flavour.
Red Russian Kale, 3 weeks from planting and about 3 more before first harvest
Kale is a versatile crop, you can use it in almost do anything with it and it'll still taste amazing 😋 I've grown almost every single cultivar (breed) of Kale there is out there and I still am amazed at how each cultivar has it's own unique flavour. Regarding SOIL for your Kale plants, I find that high NITROGEN soil with WORM CASTINGS does wonders for your Kale plant. When planting your Kale seed leave about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) of space in between each plant. Or if you plant on having the Kale plant in your garden for several seasons, leave about 12-16 inches (30-40 cm) in between each plant so that the roots will not be competing for nutrients. I recommend mulching your Kale, if you are indeed growing it from the Spring season, about two weeks after Fall has started so that it will ensure your Kale plant has enough nutrients in the soil to continue growing you a viable and healthy crop for weeks to come.
I grow my Kale year round, but there are particular times to start your Kale plant in your outdoor garden. I recommend starting your Kale a week after frost in Spring and between 2-3 weeks after Fall has started. Reason being is that during those time-frames are the perfect conditions for your seeds to germinate without much fail. I've personally have had a Kale plant last through 3 growing seasons producing healthy and nutritional leafy greens on a consistent basis. If you take care of the plant, you can get about 4-5 lbs (1,8 - 2,2 kg) of a harvest every 5-6 days. Isn't that amazing?!
Alto Leeks, 60 days from planting 50 days from harvest
Leeks are one of my addictions and also one of the higher end costing vegetables from the farmers markets. I grow around 300 each Fall for my family because we use them in loads of different stews, soups, pies, stir fry and tons of other recipes. Leeks require soil that has high levels of Nitrogen and also soil that can drain exceptionally well, if you have soggy soil you WILL run into mold issues at the bulb of your Leeks.
Blue Scottish Leeks, 100 days after seeds sown
As you can see above I planted my seeds pretty close to one another, reason being is that Leeks are one of the crops that take transplanting exceptionally well. When you do transplant, soak the bed a little bit so that it is easier to pull the Leeks out individually instead of all together. Then replant each Leek with about 4-6 inches (10-15cm) of space in between each other. That way you will get thick, healthy Leek stalks and you can just pull them from your garden as you need. Again, this is another crop I grow year round and once you have your garden soil set up, you really don't need to tend your Leeks that often. Most cultivars (breeds) take about 120-210 days to fully mature, it is a slow growing crop but totally worth the wait.
Italian Purple Garlic, 150 days after planting clove
Garlic is another staple crop in my household, we use it on a daily basis. So it is another vegetable I grow on the heavy side. Garlic is super picky with it's soil, it has to be well drained and have certain key nutrients in it. Those nutrients are Nitrogen, Sulfur, Potassium and Phosphorus. The best fertilizer in my experience for Garlic is animal manure, in my case I use horse manure. Just like Leeks, Garlic can run into mold issues if you have soggy soil problems.
When you plant Garlic, you actually plant it by the clove. Yes, the clove. So find a specific type that you like to eat and buy a head of it. When you get home take it apart CAREFULLY, you will want to keep the skin on the cloves. If you remove the skin the Garlic will not sprout it will just mold in your garden and cause potential infestation issues. Plant each clove with the skin on about 6-8 inches (15-20cm) apart from one another. It'll take some time before you harvest the crop, about 120-200 days depending on cultivar (breed). But on the plus side I've had certain heads of Garlic store in my pantry for up to 6 months and they were still edible. So figure out how much Garlic you go through and plant a bunch, then store for later use. It's always nice to have home grown Garlic ready for cooking😘
That's it for this entry in my Fall Crops series, don't you just want to start growing your own food and reaping the healthy rewards?! Again thank you for reading my posts, but more importantly thank you for taking the first step to bettering your health and the planet. Follow me for e-mail updates on my posts and stay tuned for future posts in this series.
Happy Gardening
Farmer Jeff
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