Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea

Common Names: Kale 'Chou Moellier', Tree Kale, Giant Tree Kale

Family: Brassicaceae

Origin:

While the exact origins of this heirloom kale are unknown, going by name it's likely to be of French origin.

Culinary Uses:

Chou Mollier is heavy producer that tastes great when chopped raw in salads, blended in smoothies, used as a cooked green vegetable or made into kale chips.  Excess kale freezes well.

Growing Tips:

Choose a growing site either in full sun or light shade for best growth.  Kale can be a heavy feeder, so dig a mix of organic fertiliser, compost, well rotted manures and worm castings through the soil prior to sowing.  Ensure soil is free draining, dig through gypsum and organic matter to help break up clay-rich soils.  Water kale regularly and mulch well to keep their root systems cool and moist.  Frost hardy.

When To Sow:

Sow Chou Mollier kale seeds from February to May in cold, temperate and subtropical regions of Australia.  Kale is unlikely to grow well in the tropics.

How To Sow:

Sow Chou Mollier kale seeds 6mm deep spacing plants about 40cm apart to allow room for growth.

Germination Time:

Kale 'Chou Mollier' takes between 7 and 14 days to germinate once sown.

Harvesting:

Kale can be grown as a cut and come again vegetable. The leaves can be harvested as soon as they are big enough to pick, harvest the lower, outer leaves first to avoid damaging the growing tip. Chou Mollier kale takes between 7 and 9 weeks to start producing decent quantities of leaves.