Hanover salad also known as ‘spring kale’, 'rape kale', and 'Siberian kale'  is a leafy vegetable that is usually grouped into the “Cooking Greens” category with collards, mustard and Swiss chard. The leaves can be curly and quite ornamental, but become too tough to eat fresh, as they mature. Hanover salad is a fast grower and early producer and can be used fresh. Organic and heirloom varieties are available.

Ideal Site- Hanover salad does better in poorer soils than other brassicas. It does not need to grow into a large plant to produce a useful crop. Will tolerate exposed sites and some shade, but not poorly drained soils. Apply a medium-fertility soil improver, or a low-fertility soil improver plus an organic fertilizer- or plant after nitrogen fixing green manure. Do not make soil too rich; the resulting lush late growth may not be frost hardy. The ideal pH range is 6.5-7.5

Seed to Harvest- 7 weeks for the fastest growing cultivars. Will stand in good conditions for a long time, giving a long harvest period.

Cultivation- The minimum germination temperature is 45F (7C).

Sowing undercover- Sow in trays or cell packs in February for a summer crop, or May for a winter crop.

Outside- Sow thinly in a seedbed in April-May in shallow rows. Transplant 6-8 weeks later. Hanover salad may be sown direct as late as July or early August. Station sow 3-4 seeds and thin to 1 seedling when large enough.

Spacing- Dwarf cultivars 12-18 in. (30-45cm) Tall cultivars 24-30in (60-75cm). Some taller cultivars can be spaced 18in (45cm) apart if harvested when young.

Plant Care- Water seedlings until established. Along with cool temperatures, moist soil helps keep Hanover salad leaves sweet and crisp, rather than tough and bitter. Side dressing throughout the growing season with compost or feeding with fish emulsion will keep your kale growing. Mulch is important to keep the ground cool.  ARBICO Organic Compost Plus is an outstanding product to use as a mulch for hanover salad.

Problems- cabbageworms, cabbage whitefly, cabbage root fly, cabbage aphid, clubroot, cutworms, and flea beetle.

Harvesting- Pick leaves as needed from mature plants, or from young plants for a quicker harvest. Hanover salad is often tastier after a frost.

Nutrients- Hanover salad is an excellent source of Vitamin K, A, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, E, dietary fiber, manganese, copper, tryptophan, calcium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and folate