small leaf size on kale and collards

9 years ago

i was reading a piece on kale and brassicas in general where it stated that the leaf sizes dont get any much bigger once they go to head...that if it gets root bound and stunted, then its pretty much going to continue to produce small leaves no matter how much care you give to it

some ornamental kale transplants i purchased at the nursery have small leaves despite already seeming to have full heads. im worried these will stay tiny.

i have a few collards and chards that grew to awesome sizes with leaves as big as my head at one point but then i neglected them over the summer and the foliage miniaturized significantly. im back to caring for them with fertilizer and water but while they are producing, they arent getting back to their former sizes. you can actually see on the collard stem that it goes from girthy and thick from when it produced huge leaves when i was caring for it....to very thin with accompanying small leaves

i have one lacinato that stands close to 3 feet tall but the leaves are nowhere near as impressive as the ones i see on google images. then i have a few plants that wont seem to get taller or more impressive in foliage no matter what i do

thanks to any comments or advice!

Featured Answer

farmerdill

9 years ago

I cut collards instead of stripping the lower leaves. If you grow a variety like Georgia and keep removing the lower leaves, you end up with a stalk 4 ft tall with a little tuff of leaves at the top. I prefer tender so I usually grow heading types and cut the whole plant when its ready.

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Comments (9)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
You have mentioned quite a range of different plants in your post and they will not all behave the same.

Starting with the terminology, Kale and Collards will not form heads like cabbages or cauliflowers. So the idea that the leaves won't get bigger after they head up doesn't make much sense.

Ornamental Kales are not really grown for their leafage but more to produce colourful rose-like heads for looking at rather than eating. So large leaves are not desirable or expected.

Chard is not a Brassica. Leaf size in Chard, just like that in Kale and Collards is a function of nutrition and moisture. If these are sufficient I see no reason why leaf size would not increase, even on a root bound transplant once it is planted out properly.

Of course, as soon as any Brassica starts to bolt new leaves get much smaller.
digdirt2
9 years ago
That was my first thought when I read your post - they are bolting. I'm not sure exactly what your expectations are on leaf size so a photo of the plants in question would be helpful but as floral pointed out, you are comparing several different varieties of plants that all have different growth patterns.

Dave
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daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
9 years ago
In my experience collards do, in fact, when the weather gets warm, start to form a compact mass at the top where the bloom is eventually going to come out. Lots of small leaves. Not sure how to prevent that. In my climate, the plants are done by then anyway.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What you are describing, Dan, is bolting which Digdirt and I referred to. You can't prevent is since most Brassicas grown as vegetables are biennials.
daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
9 years ago
Yes, that's certainly bolting. As I said, it's the pre-bloom development. Same point, different words.
Signy Frances (zone 7a / NoVa)
9 years ago
I've not allowed collards to bolt yet, but I have noted that collard leaf size gets much smaller in their second year if they winter over. But when I noticed that happening I just replaced the plants, so I don't know from experience if it's a bolting behavior.
farmerdill
9 years ago

Collards when overwintered will bolt as spring approaches.
Signy Frances (zone 7a / NoVa)
9 years ago
Wow, mine did not get to that point! And they were nearly a yard tall by the time I pulled them, also--how are these still so low to the ground?