Monty Don has told gardeners that September is the optimal period for planting hardy vegetables such as kale, spinach and Cavelo Nero. These are “hardy” crops that grow “best in mild weather" and will "quickly germinate and establish if sown in early September, to provide young leaves in Autumn."
Planting for a Winter Harvest
If planted this week, kale will develop into an overwintering crop in the garden, available for harvesting from autumn through to late spring. By that stage, the spring-sown variety of kale will also have had sufficient time to establish itself.
According to Gardener’s World, Monty has given an easy-to-follow set of planting instructions. He advises sowing seeds half an inch (1 cm to 1.3 cm) deep either in a dedicated seed bed or in small pots and trays.
Steps for Strong Growth
Young plants should be moved into their final growing positions when they are a few inches tall and have 6 to 8 strong leaves. They should be spaced about 18 inches (45 cm) apart so they have room to mature.
When planting young kale, Monty says to firm the soil well around the base and trample the earth with your feet. Though it may seem odd, this step keeps the plants solid and secure against wintery winds.
Varieties and Protection
For a fool-proof option, "Cavalo Nero," "Jagallo Nero," and "Red Russian" are the variants which thrive through cold weather and provide fresh harvests well into the spring.
Regardless of how robust the plants are, gardeners should cover them with fine mesh netting to protect them from pigeons and cabbage white butterflies.
Monty said: "To keep the succession of vegetables going... [plant] out kale 'Jagallo Nero'... That way [you] will have an ample supply of fresh greens throughout the winter and on into next spring."
Particularly for the Red Russian species, gardeners get a gorgeous looking plant and value for money. Monty said: "These young plants, all raised from seed, will look good all winter long and provide delicious harvests in spring."
