This nutritious plant can survive frost, snow and freezing temperatures, and we can eat fresh kale leaves during the whole winter. When the temperatures drop, kale continues to grow and produce, only slower.
The leaves will be tender and young, and also pest free! That’s because most of the critters that normally damage the leaves are hibernating. It’s too cold for them, but not for the kale!
Later in the spring, the kale will stop producing leaves as it focuses on making flowers. The good news is: you can harvest the florets (unopened flower buds) and eat it like broccoli. Keep harvesting them before the flowers open.
I always let at least one plant flower completely though, because the bees and other insects love them so much.