How much kale do you need, really?
Every year I decidedly over-plant my garden. And at the end of every year I’m shocked at the sheer volume of kale that remains. How did this happen, again?! I balk at the fact that it’s my own fault, and I promise myself not to do it again —until seed starting begins the following spring and I’m faced with the usual dilemma, “What if none of my seed babies grow? What if I need more?” continually trapping me in a spiral of ‘not enoughness’ that brings me far more stress than it does joy. I don’t have the heart to discard plant starts either; they have too much potential!
This year I’m changing my ways, really. For the past 12 years I’ve always only sown in the spring and collected everything for harvest in the fall. Kale and other leafy greens provide continuous outputs that prove prolific. Because I love my precious kale varieties so much, and possibly because they’re gorgeous to look at when they sprout into monsters, I’m not willing to part with these season-long winners. Kale makes me feel like I’m succeeding and that means a lot.
So the plan is, I will seed enough kale to intersperse throughout the garden in filler spots for little bursts of joy —carefully selected for the perfect aesthetic, of course because I can’t stand a messy landscape. Any leftover starts, I’ll plant in other people’s gardens (with permission, of course, maybe). This will free-up valuable raised bed space for more variety and a few new experimental crops like lovage, a sister to celery.
Just in case I over-seed again though, would anyone like some kale starts?
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