Curly Kale

This pretty blue-green hybrid kale is easy to grow and will keep you supplied for months. Vigorous producer, with leaves growing lushly on compact plants. Cut outer leaves so that center can continue growing. Light frost makes the leaves taste sweeter. Organic varieties are only available at retailers.

Lacinato Kale

Heirloom. Good looks and great taste combine in Lacinato kale, which makes a striking addition to any garden setting. Dark blue-green to black leaves often have a heavily crinkled texture, which inspires one of its many common names, dinosaur kale. The flattened leaves are perfect for making kale chips. This kale dates to 18th-century Italy, which is why it's also called Tuscan kale. Thomas Jefferson grew it in his garden at Monticello. Kale is a super food, and Lacinato leaves extend excellent health benefits, lowering cholesterol, fighting cancer, and decreasing inflammation. Prepare leaves steamed, sautéed, or roasted. Kale is a classic fall flavor and combines nicely with garlic, peppers, chickpeas, sausage, squash, and apples. A cold-hardy vegetable, kale leaves sweeten after frost. In northern regions, leave a few plants in the garden to harvest after the snow flies.

Flowering Kale

Transform your cool-season garden with the stunning colors of flowering kale. This plant brings bold shades of white and purple to the garden's quiet seasons of fall and early winter. In milder zones, plants can look good all winter long. This is an ornamental plant; although the leaves can be eaten, they're really only good for garnish or as a base for such dishes as egg salad or hors d'oeuvres. Once night temperatures stay at or below 50 degrees, count on flowering kale to brighten your vegetable garden, flower bed, or container after about two to four weeks. Space plants 12 to 15 inches apart. Use tighter spacing in colder regions, because plants won'™t grow as quickly. Use one plant per 8-inch pot; add more plants as needed to fill out larger pots.