Kale is still one of the most popular cover crops used today. The main advantage of kale is that it will provide cover for the whole shooting season. Pheasants particularly like the combination of a good canopy and bare ground which allows easy movement in a
relatively dry environment.

Kale requires soil with a pH of around 6.5, so it is very important to conduct soil analysis prior to sowing. Kale is a very hungry crop and benefits from the application of farmyard manure/slurry prior to sowing. Care should be taken with continuous kale as the  ground can become “brassica sick”; club root (finger and toe) will inhibit or prevent the growth of brassica crops but this can be prevented by growing kale and another crop such as maize in adjacent strips and alternating the strips. Kale is frequently grown in conjunction with other crops such as quinoa and yellow blossom clover. Selection of any such mixture should take into account the required length of time for which the crop is grown and the potential weed control that may be required.