Growing Ornamental Kale
Ornamental Kale: An Edible, Colorful Addition To The Garden
Flowering ornamental kale is a relative of cabbage which you usually use as ingredients to your menu. This flower originates in Southern and Western Europe.
Ornamental kale was hybridized through cross pollination by some botanists to be able to grow beautiful flowers in the winter and fall season. As you know, this is when very few types of flowers can be seen.
Ornamental kale is definitely relaxing to look at with its array of colors that include pinks, purples and reds. Though flowering kales are edible, they are not usually grown to eat but to fill gardens with beauty. Why is that? It’s because they are known to have a bitter taste. However, some people use ornamental kale in salads or more frequently as charming garnish.
Propagating Ornamental Kale
Ornamental kale are usually propagated from seeds. They are easy to grow but if you are to sow seeds, do it outdoors. You can start planting the seeds in early summer or late spring. You can either sow seeds in seed-beds or trays and uncovered frames. After which, cover the seeds lightly with soil.
Germination can happen within two to three weeks given an ideal 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want a kaleidoscope of colors when they bloom, then sow seeds of ornamental kale with different color varieties together in a bowl or tub.
When it comes to getting the seeds, you can collect them from the flower itself. You can use these seeds for propagation. However, it is still best to buy fresh seeds whenever you want to plant ornamental kale.
Flowering kales need adequate amount of water along with frequent nourishing of fertilizer. You can put fertilizer preferably the liquid ones once every week to ensure good health for your ornamental kale.
Growing Ornamental Kale
Like any other flowers you are already known to grow, ornamental kales have its own growing requirements which you should furnish yourself with if you wish to see them this winter. These requirements include the following:
Location – Though ornamental kale can definitely be grown indoors, you cannot ensure how long they can last while inside your home. The best place to grow flowering kales would be a cool room which is gaily lighted.
Weather – Ornamental kale love the cool weather so it is ideal to start planting them in the early fall. Now listen here. If the weather is not breezy enough, expect an ornamental kale to grow without your desired color so make sure to grow it in a cool weather. It definitely cannot tolerate direct sun and intense heat.
If you need to plant ornamental kale in a sunny location, always keep soil moist and rich. Otherwise, you can’t expect to grow them as you wanted.
Ornamental Kales Diseases
Ornamental kale may be exposed to different disease problems while they’re growing. Included in the most common nemeses of ornamental kale are the following:
Cabbage Loopers and Worms – Cabbage loopers and worms can leave holes in the foliage of your flowering kales which will definitely ruin their appearance. You can either pick those little creatures up by your hand or spray some insecticide.
