You could pick a few leaves now but those plants are still babies. They could also do with thinning as they will grow at least 2 feet tall and wide.

they get really really big.

How would you go about 'thinning' them?

Snip off the ones you don't want and eat them ;-) Kale really needs to be about a foot apart.

This plant is half grown (It's Red Russian) As you can see it is intercropped with Zucchini because it will continue to grow after the Zucchini have been frosted and will be harvested throughout the winter.

And this one is Curly Kale (Borecole). Also half grown.

I would consider that baby kale, a favorite salad green of mine. That's the stage at which I harvest most of mine, though I'm letting some grow a bit longer before it gets too hot here.

I sow most of the seeds quite close together, and snip off the outermost leaves for my salad bowl.

Maybe one's view of when to harvest depends on one's climate. For me Kale is a hardy winter vegetable which I don't sow until June and don't start using until at least November. My pictures were taken in mid-November last year. Those plants are just now bolting to flower and I am still using them. Kale self seeds, so for baby kale I don't use my main plants, just the ones I weed out. If the OP eats his babies that's the end of the kale. If he thins and takes a few leaves it will keep going for months if his climate is conducive.

Sys pick a few leaves from each plant. That way you can use it all season without needing to replant.

They were meant for salads and my wife's kale shakes (yuck) so I guess it's okay to harvest them. Do I just snip them? Will they grow back like other leaf lettuce varieties do?

BTW, the variety I have is Spring Kale which according to the instructions has a 30 maturity period and can grow 12-18 inches tall so I guess I'm good to go.

We usually snap the individual leaves off at the stem, leaving the smaller leaves and the growth spot at the top to continue to produce more.

Ah, Hanover Salad (aka Spring Kale) isn't really kale. It is very kale-like but in the mustard family Brassica napus with things like rutabaga, canola and rape rather than Brassica oleracea. So no it won't get nearly as big nor last as long in the garden. But you can also grow it in the fall if you want more.

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv076

If your wife wants true kale look for Lacinato, Vates, Meadowlark, etc.

Dave

Did not know that, at least I can plan for the Fall maybe. I hope she likes what I picked her today. I know she likes to buy the baby salad mixes in the store that include kale.

Of the ones you listed is there any a specific one you would recommend for starters? I know she likes the kale with the rough leaves for her smoothies.

njitgrad, have you tasted her smoothies??? :) I'm addicted to them, and kale fresh from the garden is so much more fun than grocery store. You're doing a great thing by growing her kale. My husband is trying to like the smoothies -- he'll drink a tiny bit just to make me happy. You can also throw in mustard greens, turnip greens, arugula, spinach, chard, red lettuce, and/or parsley, for variety.

I don't care for kale smoothies personally but I love cooking with kale in all sorts of recipes and making dried kale chips - any kind of kale. We dehydrate a lot of it and add it to soupls and stews and salads and even chili. We grow a lot of Toscana, Red Bore and Dwarf Blue as well as Lacinato.
Dave

I don't make or eat smoothies either. I like to eat my fruit and veggies whole, including all the fibre. I generally just steam it or sweat it in butter or olive oil and serve as greens. I also chop it into pasta sauces for extra goodness. I don't freeze or dehydrate it either as it is available afresh all winter and I don't like frozen vegetables. I tried kale chips a couple of times but wasn't impressed. Dirt do you have a recipe I could try to see if I can change my mind?

I always cut the outer leaves off my kale, mizuna and chard plants to eat as the plants continue growing. So my plants never get super huge, but just get taller. And I too love smoothies made from fresh-picked kale. :)