In today's video I would like to discuss what I believe is the best way to grow kale. I will try and make my case of why I believe the best way to grow kale is by following the Mittleider method. Even if you don't garden with the MGM, you can benefit from the practices we follow in our garden.
By growing kale 6 inches apart and pruning leaves for your kitchen on a weekly basis you are encouraging the plant to grow and set new leaves. The purpose of the plant is to grow large enough that it can make seeds and ensure the next generation. By pruning your kale each week you are keeping it from that goal and forcing it to set new leaves as it tries to produce seeds. This can extend your growing season and produce lots of young tender leaves of kale. You can see in the video, we have several kale plants that are over 2 feet tall and resemble a palm tree.
Each week when it is time to harvest, simply remove 2-3 leaves from each plant. These leaves are the ones closest to the soil and are typically the oldest leaves on the plant. You can remove them with a pruner if you prefer, but with a little care it is safe to pluck them by hand. Do take care not to break the terminal bud of the plant, doing so will prevent it from growing further.
According to the Mittleider gardening method, kale is planted in 2 rows with a spacing of 6 inches. In order for this spacing to work and the plants to not become over crowded it is vital they are pruned every week as outlined above. Take these steps and you can produce more food over a longer duration, in less space. It is for these reasons that I believe this is the absolute best way to grow kale.