Steve,

Among all these kales, which ones would you rank as the most heat-tolerant in terms of effects on flavour?

I wish I remembered where it was, but many months ago someone posted a question about the different types of kale. Basically, what I found for them, is that Russian/Siberian kale is the same species as rutabaga and canola where as the other kale is something else. Course they are all pretty closely related, all in the same genus.

Something else I remember... Rutabaga, canola, and Russian kale are all thought to be "spontaneous" hybrids. Having randomly popped up in the gardens of some grower in the way, way back days.

Not a fan of eating kale (though I love collards, mustard, and turnip greens) but your look nice there Steve, I reckon it's okay if they look like palm trees come September, better for you anyways ;). Over in the Hawaii gardening forum, theres a picture of somebody's chard plant that is several years old. That thing looked like a palm tree growing out of a tumor.

I am too new to these other types to know about their response to heat.

Collards were in my garden a couple of times. I have only a vague memory of it. My impression was that it didn't like the climate. This is back before or when I tried okra and pre-sweetpotato ... Too cool early and too cool overnight was my guess.

All three kales that are out there now have different flavors. I have been happy to learn that!

I've grown and eaten canola, Zach. There used to be quite a few acres of it that I was always driving by. Stopped once for a little seed. Small plants. It was okay as a green.

Bok choy is a "sister" to turnips but I prefer its flavor to turnip roots, don't remember if I have ever eaten the leaves - probably missing out. Rutabagas are only part of my childhood memories and not a very pleasant one... (Maybe I'll grow up someday and try some of these things again. I got Brussels sprouts! ;o).

Steve

I have never planted collards in my garden, though, I may try next year. But when I was a kid I had a friend who's family was from Georgia. His mom made a big southern meal about once a month. She did her collard greens simmered in a little bit of water with some vinegar, sugar and two ham hocks. I never got the "recipe" per se but I've got it down close enough for me after she told me what's in it. That is the only way I eat collards, or turnip, or mustard greens. They are really good if you mix them together, the mustard adds a bit of heat. I could probably use kale, but for some reason, it just doesn't seem right. My dad moved to Denver from Alabama and my aunt does collards, but they aren't as good as I recall my buddy's mom's. Now, her fried okra on the other hand, is the ONLY okra I will touch (it's a horrible, horrible, vegetable otherwise, IMO).

I can't honestly say I've ever eaten a rutabaga, or bok choy. I know I love turnip roots, I can eat them like apples, raw and with a salt shaker handy. Never had any luck growing them myself unfortunately (root vegetables don't like me for some reason).

I over-wintered kale and had a great crop this spring, then it went to seed, and I just whacked it back down to a foot high, hoping to get more new growth from the stumps. When I was cutting it back, there wasn't a square millimeter on that plant that didn't have a aphid stuck on it. And about a million lady bugs and LB larvae licking their chopsâ¦

Yep. Those curly kale leaves must make the aphids feel safe. They sure can move in on it.

I was out spraying the parsley this week. There were hardly any aphids on the flat-leaf parsley! I used Pyrethrin and probably should have been back with the insecticidal soap. Maybe I will do that tomorrow - almost looked like the aphids could kill the curly parsley!

I'm not very familiar with the pest problems with these other kales. Not many places to hide, especially as those lower leaves come off. Those leaves probably don't benefit the plant much after a couple of weeks of age. I've seen the sparrows working their way thru. I think they can be very helpful if they set their minds to not being pests, themselves.

Steve

How are you cooking the red kale? It went to seed last year and now is all over the place. Been taking a grocery sack to food bank each week and to a neighbor several times. Some has already bolted. Also chard is ready. I have eaten lots of collards years ago but none recently. Hubby won't eat any of it.

It bolted the first year?!

That's "un-kalelike" but it is a different species.

I've really wanted to just taste the Russian kale so have just had it in a little boiling water. We make a lot of use of bacon in cooking greens, Margaret. Despite liking the smoky flavor, I wanted it out of the way so I'd have a better idea of what the kale tastes like.

I hope to have lots more experience soon. The fact that it is different and more tender appeals to me. I tried an Italian kale last year and not only didn't it seem to like my garden but it didn't seem very different. Summertime! I got little else in the way of greens out there.

Steve
whose escarole already looks like it's seen better days

That red kale tastes best in the late fall after a few frosts - it develops a sweetness thats rather pleasant. I just strip the tender parts off the stems and 'stir fry' them until wilted with a bit of olive oil.

David, the GW post you made in the linked thread ("Sep 4, 2012") was how I became curious about Russian kale. You said you enjoy it in salad. My reaction was, "Nooo ..."

So, I tried to learn something about that there Russian kale. A continuing process, I'm having some for lunch. Salad still isn't an easy idea for me. I know! I'll start sampling it in the garden.

Steve

A kale salad will keep a few days - some would argue that it gets better as it marinates.

I cooked some kale with garlic scapes last week. A little milder than mustard greens. I have had it in juicing but that is not my thing. A lot of my beets are bolting with this hot weather of course the peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes all decided it was too hot also. A week in the 90s. Lots of potato beetles and grasshoppers also.