Kale

[S.T.Fanatic]

I am considering planting some Kale this year. I've never used it so what do I need to know? The plan. is for TNM. It will also be in a mix favoring radishes. The deer eat my radishes but not much of the rest so i'm planing to add something new to see if it changes anything.

 

[scott44]

I've planted it the last couple years in my brassica mix, I don't do anything special with it. I use the throw and roll of last years rye so it should do good with the TNM planting.

 

[wiscwhip]

Same as any other brassica, no "special" treatment needed.

 

[Apple Junkie]

My daughter-in-law insists Kale is delicious and health. Sorry, Kale should be left in a field for herbivories to eat, it does not belong on the plate of any self-respecting carnivore. Yuck… but if it leads to putting meat on the table, it does have it’s uses.

 

[Mortenson]

Give it a shot and report back. Always fun to try new things as long as you still have something in there you know they'll eat.

 

[strawhead]

Deer eat it right along with rest of our brassicas in northern WI. We cut down on the rape and substituted rutabaga also. Our deer seem to eat radish leaves first, then rest of tuber leaves. Rape seems to be a last choice.

 

[jsasker007]

I have used kale and it seems to just wait to grow until the temps get a little cooler and then it grows like crazy and the deer eat it up but not until a couple of weeks into bowhunting season here in Minnesota. I broadcast some this year mixed with radish, turnips,chicory and alfalfa. Then next spring I should have the chicory and alfalfa come back. Time will tell.

 

[eclipseman]

I have used kale and it seems to just wait to grow until the temps get a little cooler and then it grows like crazy and the deer eat it up but not until a couple of weeks into bowhunting season here in Minnesota. I broadcast some this year mixed with radish, turnips,chicory and alfalfa. Then next spring I should have the chicory and alfalfa come back. Time will tell.

when you make a mix how do you determine how much of each item to put so you do not over seed? I wanted to do a mix of PPT, Radish, Rape, and kale this year on 2 acres but no idea how much seed I need.
Thoughts?

 

[wiscwhip]

LC/DblTree recommended #5 per acre of any brassica either as a stand alone or in a mixture. For the mix you are looking at, I would use 1lb PPT, 2lbs radish, 1lb rape, and 1lb kale per acre, so 2, 4, 2, and 2 respectively. And don't forget you will need LOTS of urea(N) on that area for optimum growth.

 

[jsasker007]

I usually double amounts for all seeds with the thinking that it will be actively grazed as soon as things start to sprout. If the deer and turkeys end up getting half of the plot eaten there should be decent amount still growing. Far from an exact science but seems to work well for me in my area. When plants are young and small the deer and eat and terminate plants by eating the plants before they can keep up with the deer. On another plot I broadcast peas and buckwheat for the summer and then around end of august i'll probably do the old reliable winter rye with clover and have that growing next spring when it's too wet to do any planting(I'm in a pretty wet area during the spring months).

 

[scott44]

I usually plant 6-7 lbs/acre of brassica mix.

 

[IkemanTx]

My daughter-in-law insists Kale is delicious and health. Sorry, Kale should be left in a field for herbivories to eat, it does not belong on the plate of any self-respecting carnivore. Yuck… but if it leads to putting meat on the table, it does have it’s uses.

Ill take your kale :-)
Sauté it up with a little butter, garlic, and red pepper and it is delish!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tree Spud]

My daughter-in-law insists Kale is delicious and health. Sorry, Kale should be left in a field for herbivories to eat, it does not belong on the plate of any self-respecting carnivore. Yuck… but if it leads to putting meat on the table, it does have it’s uses.

We add kale to soups & stews, saute it with spinach & chilli flakes or balsamic vinegar.

Should be a good choice for northern climate food plots. Very cold hardy and many gardeners have it in their late fall cold frames.

 

[Yarg]

when you make a mix how do you determine how much of each item to put so you do not over seed? I wanted to do a mix of PPT, Radish, Rape, and kale this year on 2 acres but no idea how much seed I need.
Thoughts?

Don't know for sure but I think you can do 5lb of radish/acre and 5lb of a mix of the others...radish are counted different.. I would do 2lb each of ppt and kale and 1lb rape and 5lb radish per acre