Out with the beets, in with the kale.

My kale along the back of the house just hasn't done well.  I planted it a month ago, and the plants are only about an inch high.  The arugula next to it has done better.  I probably just need to plant herbs there.

The kale plants in the front bed, which were there when I moved in, have gone to seed along with their giant entangled arugula buddy.  I went to harvest today, and found them fully infected with what I think are aphids.  I probably should have smashed the aphids by hand, harvested the seeds, and tried to eat some of the now-tough leaves, but I got a little squeamish, so I ripped them out to make way for something new.  Below is a picture of the critters.

So I decided to start planting kale seeds whenever I harvest any beets. I'm quickly realizing the value of staggering a crop to keep harvesting more consistent. The bed is 15 feet away from the bed where the above-mentioned kale was murdered, so it seems like a good place to plant them.