Find out how to grow kale as a cool-season vegetable in fall or spring.
Peter Krumhardt
Kale(Brassica oleracea)is a popular vegetable forsalads,fresh-blended smoothies, andsoups.
Whether youcook kaleor eat it raw, this cool-weather vegetable tastes similar to cabbage.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
However, its loose, upright, wavy-edged leaves dont form a head like cabbage.
Although kale is classified as a biennial, hybridization developments mean kale is typically grown as an annual.
Occasionally, kale flourishes outside its normal growth habits and sticks around as a short-lived perennial.
Credit: Kindra Clineff
This guide covers how to grow kale as a vegetable in your garden.
It tolerates some shade and is extremely hardy.
you could also grow it in a container and move it to a shady area during the summer.
Credit: Andy Lyons
For fall plantings, sow seeds indoors in early July and plant the seedlings in the garden in mid-August.
The plants tolerate light frosts.
Plant transplants 18 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart.
Credit: Illustration by Helen Smythe
Light
Kale growsbest in full sunfor six to eight hours a day.
During the summer, it benefits from afternoon shade.
It performs poorly when daytime temperatures consistently exceed 80F.
Supply kale plants with about 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
Temperature and Humidity
Grow kale in cool temperatures, and dont worrykale can tolerate light frosts.
This hardy vegetable can survive temperatures as low as 5F.
Typically, kale leaves acquire their best flavor after a little fall frost.
In mild winter climates, plants often survive winter and continue to produce leaves until they bolt in spring.
Fertilizer
When seedlings are 4 inches tall, fertilize them with a liquid high-nitrogen plant food.
Fill the container with garden soil that has been amended for good drainage or potting soil.
As an annual, kale doesnt require or benefit from repotting.
Pests and Problems
Rotate kale crops to reduce soil-borne disease.
Dont plant kale in the same location more often than once every three years.
Watch for cabbageworms, cabbage loopers, aphids, andcutwormson kale leaves.
Harvesting
Harvest kale leaves when they grow to the size of an adult human hand.
Baby greens are ready for harvest about 2030 days after planting.
Mature leaves are fully grown in 5075 days.
To keep the plant thriving, harvest only three or four leaves from each plant at a time.
A light frost brings out kales sweet side.
It tolerates heat and cold.
It is less bitter than curly leaf kale.
It is one of the most tender curly kale varieties and isideal for salads, garnishes, and sauteing.
Winterbor
Curly-leaved Winterbor kale has finely ruffled dark green leaves.
It is tall, vigorous, and highly winter-hardy, and its leaves become even frillier in cold weather.
It is similar to Winterbor except for leaf color.
It is very hardy and ideal for containers.
Garden Plans for Kale
Trygrowing kale with other vegetablesby using the following garden plan as inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kale chips stay crispy if you cook them correctly and let them cool completely.
Heres how to make kale chips that are crispy and delicious: Preheat oven to 300F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place kale leaves on the prepared baking sheet.
Brush with olive oil.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp.
The refrigerators crisper drawer is the best place to store kale.
There, it will last five to seven days after harvest.
