Thinning Kale

Kuri and Kona
Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

Hello, I am a beginner gardener (in zone 9b.)

The kale I planted has sprouted, and I am wondering, should I thin it, or should I wait a little longer? There is a picture posted here for reference. Thank you!


Comments

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You usually thin when the first true leaves show.

    Now saying that ;) I would thin a few to add to my salad - unless you plan to pot them all up. That would be a lot of Kale.

    Will you be planting them in a garden area? Do you use a lot of Kale?

    They look nice an healthy!~

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    I'm in agreement. That is a lot of kale; each one of those little guys will become a plant that will become 2-3 feet around and 3 feet tall. So I'd be eating some of those little shoots in salad. Be careful picking them out so as not to disturb the others too much.

  • Kuri and Kona
    Kuri and Kona Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    @Monek Marie I did read about the first true leaves part elsewhere on the internet, but I still wasn`t sure, so thank you for the clarification. By the way, what does `pot them all up,` mean? Does it mean `plant them all?` Currently, I have all the seedlings out in a planter in the garden. I planted them the last week in February. I do use a lot of greens for both myself and my pets. So I sort of think the more kale the better, although I am sure there are limits...:-) By the way, I have kale elsewhere in the garden that I planted last week. (I am trying succession sowing.)

    @torey I am really glad you said that! I have bought kale before, (it is still not that common in Japan, and is sort of pricey) but I still didn`t picture how big it would be if the plants all make it to maturity. So when I thin it out, should I be transplanting a great many of those seedlings to elsewhere in the garden, so they have room to grow? I will definitely eat them as sprouts in a salad.