Kale tasting extremely bad?? What happened?

[meanwhile]

I had a large bed of Kale that has been producing for two seasons. I thought it had died back last fall but I just left it there for winter. A few weeks ago, it started putting out new leaves, and so yesterday I picked some Kale and cooked it just like normal: rinsed the leaves, boiled in small amount of water with garlic and salt and a bit of olive oil.

The Kale looked fresh and tender, it smelled just like Kale but when we went to eat it - it was so bad that we had to spit it out! Seriously = very horrible. It tasted like bitter and metallic - even like it had something else in it. The Kale even left a burnt feeling in my mouth.

We used the same cook pot that I always use for Kale, same salt, same garlic. I went back to the garden and looked and it looks like fresh green new Kale but the stems at the bottom are really thick since the plants are older.

What happened? Does Kale get very bitter and nasty when older?

We have eaten Kale from older plants before but this was so bad! Could it be due to the warmer winter?

Oh yes indeed - I will be chopping that Kale up in the bed for green manure! But I want to figure out what happened since I do not want something that terrible in my mouth again!

[Alice In TX/MO]

I'm thinking it's that they were old plants and this wacky winter weather.

[Rick]

Just guessing, but maybe the soil needs amendments.

[goatlady]

Old plants and not enough frost during the winter.

[Cliff]

Yeah maybe the weather and also if it's this is it's second year it's getting ready to go to seed. Let a couple of the plants stay there and you will have free seed for the fall.

[Limon]

Kale's not a perennial. What you have is way past its prime.

[jwal10]

It sat all winter and got old and strong. Cut a few back and see if it produces new shoots. May give you a little until you can replant new....James

[ronbre]

I agree that it is going to seed, you need to allow a few plants to go to seed and collect the seed for your next crop (as long as it isn't a hybrid)..Kale gets bitter when it is going to seed.

[meanwhile]

All the plants already did go to Seed last fall. We did collect those seeds and cut the plants back. Now though, I guess since the winter was too warm, the plants put out new growth. Sounds like I just need to dig them under and just let it be green manure.

We planted the seeds already and have a new crop coming. Thanks everyone.

[acde]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be planting kale for the first time.

[Belfrybat]

Most greens get bitter when they bolt, and even though the plant might put out new leaves, they will be bitter. They also get bitter in warm weather. I always pull greens once they begin to bolt. No use taking up garden space with inedible plants.

[ldc]

Meanwhile, for that an extreme taste, I gotta ask: any dogs get into that bed? That's what makes my veg taste BAD!!! Sorry, tho!

[meanwhile]

Dogs? No - dogs would not have been in there and not cats either! I learned my lesson on that one. When I plant kale or lettuce or spinach, I take old wire refigerator or oven racks and lay over the whole bed - or just chicken wire. The greens will grow up through the racks or wire but the cats won't bother the soil.

So - not dogs. The plants are at least three years old and had gone to seed last fall. So - just too old. We chopped 'em up with machete and turned it under. I will probably just plant tomatoes in that bed this year or maybe some corn.

Thanks everyone!