Where is kale grown in the united states

Kale is generally harvested by hand in bunches. Among the more common are cabbage worms and flea beetles , which cause damage to leaves, while aphids feed on leaf juices, causing discoloration and wilting.

Other pests of concern are army- worms, cutworms, harlequin bugs, loopers, mites, moths, and root maggots. Kale is also susceptible to diseases such as Alternaria leaf spot , a fungal infection that causes brown and grey spots due to excess moisture, and black rot , which causes leaf stems to turn black and fall off, due to warm, humid conditions. Other diseases include anthracnose, club root, damping off, downy mildew, leaf spot, root-knot nematodes , and white rust.

Because of its high respiration rate, kale is a highly perishable and should not be stored at length. For U. Commercial kale, leaves must meet U. View current Know Your Commodity Guide. Recommended Varieties Improved Dwarf Siberian 50 days has dark green frilly leaves and is very cold tolerant. Red Russian 50 days has purple stems and purple-veined flat leaves that are more tender than the frilly kale.

Redbor hybrid 55 days has highly attractive frilly burgundy red leaves that get darker with cold weather. Toscano 65 days is a dinosaur, or laciniata-type, kale with long thin puckered dark green leaves that tolerate heat and cold.

For additional recommendations visit Cornell University's Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners database. Kale is usually cooked to soften it before eating, though you can shred some of the more tender small leaves and add them to salads. The stems tend to be tough, so you may want to remove them before use. Choose young, tender green leaves. Wash thoroughly and remove woody stems.

Water blanch for 2 minutes. Seal and freeze. Beat eggs, pepper, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Microwave potatoes until slightly soft, but not completely cooked, then cube. Alternate method without microwave: cube potatoes and boil 5 minutes until slightly soft; drain. Chop remaining vegetables while potatoes cool. Mix vegetables together. Heat oil in a inch non-stick skillet.

Pour egg-vegetable mixture into the same skillet. Cook over low to medium heat until eggs are almost set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Clay types can be improved when supplemented with compost and well-rotted manure worked in to spade depth. Kale germination takes seven to 10 days. Growers plant kale in rows 18 inches to 2 feet apart. When the seedlings are 3 or more inches high, plants are thinned to 10 inches apart, and the thinnings are used for salads or as a cooked vegetable. Similar to collards, kale develops attractive leaves from a central stem, which grows a foot or so tall.

Leaf color is the best sign of crop readiness. Rich green leaves of firm texture are ready for cutting. If they are too dark and heavy, the leaves are tough and not as flavorful. Diseases seen in cabbage as well as kale include club root fungus, yellows, black rot and blackleg.

They should be clean and free of discolored and dying leaves. Kale are typically hand bunched with three to five stalks per bunch. Bunched kale is usually washed and packed in bushel buckets, crates or cartons containing 24 bunches weighing 23 or 24 pounds.

These greens are usually top-iced before shipment to provide a slow cooling method. Like all greens, kale has high respiration rates, making it very perishable. Kale is not usually stored. No illnesses were reported. CRF issued a voluntary recall, which was later expanded, of frozen vegetable and fruit products produced at its processing facility in Pasco, Washington.

The recall included more than products sold under 42 brand names, as well as at least other products prepared by other companies using CRF ingredients. In , CC Kitchens salad and slaw kits were voluntarily recalled as a precautionary measure after environmental testing at a leafy greens processor yielded Listeria monocytogenes. No contamination of product or illnesses were reported. Potentially contaminated products were distributed to multiple retailers and produce companies that distribute products under multiple brand names throughout the U.

The majority of kale is grown domestically in California and Georgia, and a large portion of kale production is certified organic. From to , the number of farms reporting growing kale more than doubled from 1, to 2,, with 1, acres having been harvested in California. Kale is an easy crop to grow and integrate into a farming system due to its resistance to most pests it is susceptible to a few common pests, such as black diamond moth and diseases, as well as its ability to thrive in cool environments.

Kale prefers the cooler temperatures typical during the spring and fall months. Kale flavor is enhanced by cool temperatures because sugar content increases, improving the taste of the leaves.

Kale grows best in a fertile, well-drained loam soil with a deep, fine to medium texture. A pH between 6. Leafy greens like kale tend to have shallow roots, which helps them grow faster and produce continuously throughout the season.

Kale can be direct seeded in a farming system at a depth of 0. Alternately, it can be transplanted. Germination for this crop generally occurs seven to ten days after being planted. Once the plants have grown three inches, be thin, if needed, to ensure a ten-inch space in between. Kale generally requires 12 to 14 inches of water during the growing season.

It is important for the health of the plant that irrigating procedures are performed uniformly. Kale does not do well if the plant is over watered, but it does need consistent moisture from regular watering. Kale is ready to harvest between 50 to 90 days after growth, depending on whether it was transplanted, and typically yielding five to six tons or cartons of product in the first harvest.

The best way to tell if kale is ready for harvest is by checking the leaf color: a rich, green leaf a with firm texture is a good sign.