September 2022: Ethiopian Kale

Blog by the Garden Center Team

This month's seed kit features Ethiopian Kale! To support our environment, some seed kit materials are now available digitally.

Planting Instructions

• Culture: Direct sow late summer to early fall. For continuous harvest, sow every 2 weeks until 2-3 weeks before first frost. Place seeds about 1/4” deep with a spacing of about 3-5 seeds per inch in rows about 2-4 inches apart.
• Water: Keep soil moist, but not saturated, until seedlings emerge. Thereafter, provide even moisture on a regular basis to prevent complete drying of soil. Provide additional moisture on days of extreme heat.
• Harvest: Ethiopian kale, also known as Amara mustard, can be harvested at 20 – 25 days for baby leaves or at 50 – 60 days for a more mature leaf. Pull entire plant or trim leaves with clippers to allow for cut-and-come-again harvest.
• Culinary Tips: Use baby leaves in salads as you would lettuce. Cook mature leaves as you would mustard or other greens. Serve with a dash of vinegar and plenty of butter!
• Companion Planting: Grows well with chamomile, dill, mint, rosemary, and sage. Avoid growing close to eggplants, peppers, potatoes, or tomatoes.

Gomen Wat-Ethiopian Kale

• Yield: 4
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale or collard greens
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cumin
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp. ghee or cooking oil
• 1.5 tsp. ginger, minced
• ½ tsp. cardamon
• ½ tsp. paprika
• To taste: salt

Instructions:

1. Wash the kale, remove leaves from stems and roughly chop.
2. Heat ghee in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent (about 5 – 7 minutes)
3. Mix in the ginger, garlic, and spices and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes.
4. Add the chopped kale and continue cooking for 7 – 10 minutes until kale is wilted.
5. Season with salt to taste.
6. Serve with injera, lentil stew, or cooked rice.

Craft: Botanical Impression Magnets

You'll Need:

• Polymer clay in terra cotta
• Rolling pin
• Acrylic paint
• Fern or any fresh leaf
• Strong Magnets
• Clay-friendly glue (E6000)

Instructions:

1. Take a 1-inch piece of clay and knead until it softens and rolls into a ball. With a small rolling pin, roll out the clay into an oval shape, about 1/4” thick.
2. Place your leaf over the clay oval. With your rolling pin, carefully press the leaf into the clay. Be careful not to flatten the clay too much.
3. Carefully lift the leaf from the clay. Bake the clay according to package directions. Let cool and harden.
4. Paint the impression with acrylic paint and let dry.
5. Glue the magnet to the back of the clay and let set for 24 hours.
6. Find a place to display your work!