Toscano Kale

Tuscano kale is also known as Tuscan kale, Lacinato kale, Dinosaur kale and Palm Tree kale. It is grown around the fall and sometimes winter. This vary healthy type of kale helps your body by giving it more than 100% of your daily value because of the two vitamins: A and K. It's not only very healthy but very yummy, too. If Tuscan kale is in the right condition, it can grow two or three feet tall, maybe even more! It's good to start early like in the fall or winter. Don't worry if it frosts over. This plant likes it with a little bit of frost. If it's too cold, cover it with a frost cloth. This kale loves rich soil and lots of sunlight! It can also be grown in the desert because of its bright sunlight. As for pest, you need to spray it, not with chemicals, but with a powerful jet force of water! If you tend to see damaged leaves, cut them off so the damage will not spread. Lacewing bogs lay their eggs on this plant which is great. Lacewing bugs are predators that do not eat the plant that it's on but eats the bugs and/or the pest's eggs. They can be very very good for the Tuscan kale. At harvest time, you can make many good recipes with Tuscan kale like, Tuscan Kale Salad, Potatoes with kale, Hot and Sour greens, and many many more!

Vates Kale

The Vates Kale is usually used in side dishes and stir-fry dishes. Vates Kale season as they call it never ends. This amazing kale can suffer in freezing temperature and extremely hot temperatures. The freezing weather will sharpen its flavor. If you steam the kale and serve it, the flavor will end up delicious! The Vates Kale needs at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. The time it takes to reach adulthood is around 53 days. The color varies from blue to green. Vates  Kale is also called the Blue Curled Kale.

Redbor Kale

The Redbor Kale loves to be in the sun but likes the cold weather. It's growing temperatures is -7°C / 19°F to 27°C / 81°F. The Redbor is beautiful in all ways, they have reddish purple, frilly leaves and can grow up to 45 cm. The Redbor is considered a hybrid cultivar and grows well in the spring and fall. Redbor Kale needs full sun and medium amount of water.

Red Russian Kale

Just planted Ragged Jack Kale

Red Russian kale is also called Ragged Jack Kale. The red Russian kale is an annual vegetable that grows in cooler weather. It can be used in cooking to make kale chips, and you can boil them lightly. The frost from cold weather improves the taste of the red Russian kale. You look for firm leaves and pass on the placid or yellow ones. The Red Russian Kale is grey green in color and the stems are purple. It is larger than most other kales and stands two to three feet tall. It is a mature plant in sixty days. It's leaves are shaped like oak leaves.

Seeding

Before

We planted 4 different types of seeds: carrots, radishes, beets and turnips. We had 2 available rows to seed. The carrots got their own row while the radishes and turnips shared a row. We saw the radishes and turnips after 5 days, but the carrots took about twice as long to make an appearance. Because we ran out of space, we placed the beet seeds in between the lettuce, kale and spinach. The beet started showing about the same time as the carrots.

After

Planting Round Two

Because of the extra row and space added to the garden, our first planting was not enough. We got to plant 4 more kale, lettuce and spinach each. They were planted a week later, but you could tell which ones were in the ground longer. All we have to do know is make sure they stay watered and keep pulling the nut grass.

Rotation 1

Students from the rotation one class mulched some of the pathways and planted 4 variety of kale. They learned that mulching helps with water conservation, erosion and weed control.

Kale, Lettuce and Spinach

Growing!!

The garden looks great. We have been watering also everyday. The plants are liking the cool mornings but not the sunny afternoons. The kale especially is wilting in the full sun after school. Hopefully the cool weather this weekend will make the plants more happy. We have noticed the leaves in ALL of our plants having many little holes. Mrs. Reichele did some research and found our problem. We have flea beetles!! She bought some spray that is safe, and it is doing the trick.

Planting Complete!!

 Our plants are in!! The hard work is completed, and now we only need to watch the garden grow. Actually, we will need to keep watering. We planted Kale (Dinasour and Red Russian), Chinese cabbage, Spinach, Arougula and Salad Bowl Lettuce (Regular and Red). From seed, we planted Purple Top White Globe Turnips, Cherrybelle Radishes and Crimson Giant Radishes. The fifth graders are so excited and have worked very hard. They can't wait to eat the fruits of their labor.