How to Grow Thousandhead Kale

Soil & Growing Conditions

Water: tolerant of poorer soil conditions than other brassicas (Kahikatea Farm)

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	Sow as for other kale types; very easy to grow, tolerant of poorer soil conditions than other brassicas (Kahikatea Farm).
Establishment	1	Establishes as a large, vigorous perennial; rarely troubled by pests or diseases (Kahikatea Farm).
Branching leaf growth	3	Develops its characteristic multi-branching, "thousand-headed" habit, with leaves up to 50cm or even a metre long (Kahikatea Farm).
Perennial harvest	8	Harvest leaves and sweet flower stalks over multiple years as a perennial winter fodder/food crop (Kahikatea Farm).

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Minimum survivable temp	-15°C
Soil texture	tolerant of poor soil (Kahikatea Farm)
Drainage	well-drained
Lifecycle	perennial
Edible parts	leaves, flower stalks

At a Glance

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Leaves harvested up to 50cm or even a metre long, remaining tender despite their size; the branching habit also produces sweet flower stalks, used similarly to broccolini (Kahikatea Farm).

Diseases

Club root

low

Plasmodiophora brassicae

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a species (Brassica oleracea) with Kale, which lists this disease; Kahikatea Farm notes this variety is "rarely troubled" by disease…

Pests

Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)

low

Delia radicum

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a species (Brassica oleracea) with Kale, which lists this pest; Kahikatea Farm notes this variety is "rarely troubled" by pests generally.

Flea beetles

low

Chrysomelidae: Alticini (various spp.)

Likely rather than confirmed: no source names this crop directly, but it shares a species (Brassica oleracea) with Kale, which lists this pest; Kahikatea Farm notes this variety is "rarely troubled" by pests generally.

Sources

1. Kahikatea Farm Certified Organic Nursery - Kale Thousandhead

   A secondary gardening reference rather than a university or horticultural authority, used as the sole source for this heirloom forage/fodder kale as no RHS or equivalent authority growing profile exists for it, explicitly disclosed. An heirloom, large, vigorous perennial kale with leaves growing up to 50cm or even a metre long and over 30cm wide, resembling "elephant's ears" -- known as thousand-headed for its multi-branching habit, producing more leaves and sweet flower stalks (similar to broccolini) than other kales, despite the leaf size remaining tender. Very easy to grow, tolerant of poorer soil conditions than other brassicas, rarely troubled by pests or diseases. Historically grown as winter fodder for sheep in harsh UK and Northern European climates, distinct from the tall Marrow-Stem type traditionally grown for dairy cattle in autumn. Documented in "The Vegetable Garden" (1885), originally from the UK, potentially with French Atlantic coast origins.

2. Plants For A Future (PFAF) - Brassica oleracea

   PFAF entry for Brassica oleracea, the parent species of this cultivar group -- the figure is species-level, not cultivar-specific. Fetched and parsed directly for the USDA hardiness rating.

3. Plants For A Future (PFAF) - Brassica oleracea ramosa (Perpetual Kale)

   Habitat: not found wild, a cultivated form of B. oleracea; parent species native to coastal UK/Germany/Spain/France. Hardiness: very hardy, tolerates temperatures down to about -15°C, tolerates quite poor conditions and high summer temperatures. Soil: light/sandy, medium/loamy or heavy/clay, prefers well-drained, pH 4.2-8.3 (prefers slightly alkaline), prefers a heavy soil. Sun: shade tolerant, grows well on a north border, succeeds in semi-shade/light woodland or no shade. Moisture: prefers moist soil, tolerates maritime exposure. Size: biennial/perennial to 0.9m, hermaphrodite, flowers May-August, seed ripens July-September. Propagation: sow in a seedbed outdoors in April/May; perennial forms can be increased by cuttings taken at almost any time, rooting very quickly and easily. Edible use: leaves raw or cooked, strong cabbage flavour, best used young; young flowering shoots raw or cooked, fairly tender, used in mixed salads or with a flavour similar to sprouting broccoli. Medicinal/hazards: none known. Pests: kale plants generally less likely to be eaten by pigeons than other members of this genus.

These 3 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 3 sources behind this guide (Kahikatea Farm Certified Organic Nursery, Plants For A Future (PFAF)) is in the references of our UK guide to thousandhead kale; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.