Question about my scarlet kale

[R.R.]

I bought a scarlet kale from a nursery and transplanted on my elevated raised bed 11/3/14 before the week we had with freezing temperatures. I put it in the soil very deep, so it would develop more roots. This is a picture of it that day:

Due to the early freezing temperatures it lost some leaves, and I don't care much for the way it looks right now. It looks like the stem is too long, like I didn't plant it deep enough (but I did). I was thinking about cutting the bottom of a plastic pot, put it around the stem, and filling up the pot with soil so maybe it would develop more roots. Is it a crazy idea? What do you think? This is a picture of the kale today, 11/30/14. Notice the color change!

 

[Chuck]

Not a quick fix. I would put a couple of handfuls of compost around the base of the plant and then make a bowl shaped depression in the soil around the compost. In that depression I would put in a handful or two of dry molasses and a couple of teaspoons of bloodmeal, then water it in and keep watering it with compost tea. I would also add about 1/4 cup of Epsom Salt. BTW your soil is looking good. You might want to start adding liquid humus to your tea as you have quite a bit of large pieces of organic material

 

[R.R.]

Great, I have everything I need! I'll do that tomorrow, thanks, Chuck.