Kale is a hardy, cool-season green that is part of the cabbage family. It grows best in the spring and fall and can tolerate fall frosts. Here’s how to grow kale in your garden.
Kale can be used in salads or simply as a garnish. Kale has a number of health benefits, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins A and C.
Many people dislike kale because it is so crunchy and dry. It sounds odd, but a great way to make kale more tasty is to massage it!
Kale also makes a great compliment to spinach in a salad (watch this video for great kale salad ideas), and kale chips can be a tasty treat. Find out more about kale and spinach.
| Botanical Name |
Brassica oleracea acephala |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Vegetable |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
| Soil Type | Loamy |
| Soil pH | Neutral to Slightly Alkaline |
| Bloom Time | Varies |
| Flower Color | |
| Hardiness Zones | |
| Special Features |
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Reader Comments
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Is it safe to eat?
There is a tall raised flower bed at the back of my house that was built with a plywood or Particle board type wood wall faced with brick. The wood was sprayed with bug spray and hornet/wasp spray. I was not thinking about this when I got plants but I planted kale and strawberries in the bed. I don’t know if the sprays leached into the soil?? Are they safe to eat? Or are they all just a waste? Will they ever be safe? I am usually pretty picky about my own food and spray choices so I don’t know what to think about this? Any advice? Thank you
risks of plywood/particle board raised beds
Plywood may contain/be treated with copper azole. You can learn more about this here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/toxicity-concerns-about-rai... Particle board is not mentioned on that page but we would avoid it. As for the bug spray you need to read the can/container; usually there are advisories on such products. Without knowing what chemicals it contains, we would only be guessing. That said, we would propose that you might be able to transplant the kale and berries. Hard to know how far along they are but if you get a new, safe, clean plot ready and get it done and then provide lots of TLC, you might have a harvest after all. We hope this helps.
What is Bolting (Kale)
Hello there,
We moved into our home a year ago and it has a lovely garden. One item is Kale and right they are huge plants and have a lot of flowers on them. From what I am gathering is that they are done? But I am not too sure what Bolting is? I was wondering if I need to cut them down and/or pull them out? They have survived all winter long and their leaves grew all year long. Any advice you can provide will be helpful
bolting kale
Kale is a biennial (2-year) plant, which means that it will produce leaves the first year, and then the next year (or sometimes late the first year), it will form a flower stalk. This stalk eventually forms flowers and then seeds; once the seeds mature, the plant dies shortly after. The act of forming that tall, central flower stalk is called bolting. Sometimes the bolting response in a plant can also be caused by other factors, such as temperature or stress. If your kale plant is bolting, and it is the second year, then the plant will not last much after the seeds form–you may want to pull it up and start over, unless you plan to collect seed (though if the kale is a hybrid, the offspring may not be similar to the parents). Once kale bolts, the leaves take on a stronger flavor, at which point harvesting usually stops. Hope this helps!
kale growth
Hi ,
I am new to gardening and moved into a house with kale already growing. Stem is over 4' height, small and sparse kale leaves between growth spurts and has long shoots with yellow flowers on the top. Stem is so long & heavy, its dragging on the ground or about to.
Do I cut the entire stem off? Do I trim?
Help...please and thanks.
kale has yellow flowers
If this is edible kale, the yellow flowers are a sign that the plant is bolting. If you have not already, cut the stems that you want and save or cook them. You can cut the flowers for a vase or leave them for appearance, but as an annual, the plant is almost done.
Kale flowers
Hi! My kale is starting to flower, am I supposed to pull the flowers off like for basil or broccoli?
flowering kale
If this is edible kale, it’s a sign that the plant is bolting. If you have not already, harvest any leaves that you want and save or cook them. Pulling the flowers is not likely to halt the bolting process—a sign that it is too warm for the plant to produce leaves. You can cut the flowers for a vase or leave them for appearance, but as an annual, the plant is almost done.
For a second crop this year, set out new plants in the late summer/fall. Kale like cool weather.
Kale Harvest
Hello, for how long can I keep harvesting the bottom leaves?
how long to harvest?
You can harvest the leaves as long as the taste is appealing. After the plant bolts (sends up flowers) the leaves may become bitter.
Kale plant
I purchased a kale plant and it was growing; however, can I plant it outdoors (I live in MN) and will it survive the winter,or should I just toss it and purchase a plant or seeds next spring?
kale
Kale can take a light frost. In fact, kale is best in the fall after exposed to a few light frosts. However, it won’t survive freezes outside so it’s best to pick the leaves. You can always blanch and freeze to store over the winter. Plant new seeds in the spring.
Hi I'm new in agric fuel and
Hi I'm new in agric fuel and i would like to get more info on how to grow kales the procedure from the start to harvest I'm from Mombasa Kenya with very hot temperature and sandy soil as well kindly advice
storing kale by drying.
i have found that by harvesting kale leaves during their productive season, it is possible to dry the leaves gently, not in direct sun, until brittle. then simply crush the leaves which automatically eliminates the need to remove the hard ribs, as they just remain in your hand. store in cool, dry place for use throughout winter. very practical and avoids waste of healthy surplus leaves.
Storing Kale by Drying.
My question: after drying and crushing Kale, what is a suggestion of a "cool dry place" for winter storage? I live in a small house (no room for storage) in WV with 2 non climate controlled sheds.
Thank you.
Kale Growing Period
I'm new to gardening.Came across Kale planet in internet and trying to grow kale in a POT at home.2 pots.I see that now kale has started growing however it took almost 90 days to see this growing and still the leaves are not fully grown, i assume it is still in growing state.
Does it take this much time to grow or i missed something here.I'm interested in growing this more often hence would like to know the growing cycle and time that takes for harvesting.
Please note i have not used any fertiliser here.
Regards/KK
Kale Growth
Kale usually takes about 65 to 80 days from seed to harvest, but that depends on variety, conditions, etc. Plants sometimes slow their growth if they are stressed, such as temperatures too hot or cold, not enough water, pests or diseases, or crowded roots (for container-grown). Make sure your plants have enough room in their pots, and that they are getting the right amount of light, water, and nutrients. It sounds like you can start harvesting the outer leaves now for cooking, but allow the inner ones to keep growing (sometimes people harvest a few baby leaves for salad, but be careful not to pick the growing innermost section). Depending on your climate, they can produce for several months, and over winter in Zones 7 to 9. If you live in a cold climate, you’ll need to provide winter protection to extend the season.
Asking Help to get Kale Plant seeds
I want to cultivate Kale Plant in my Farm and need seeds for it. would you please help ( How)to get the seed for Kale. In UK or UAE.
my address
P.O.Box:77726
AlRamlah
Sharjah
United Arab Emirates
want the seeds of kale plant
i want to cultivate kale plant in my orchard and need seeds for it. kindly help me to get the
seeds of kale plants
Need kale seeds to start planting
Need contacts of suppliers who will or has exported agricultural seedlings to Jamaica
Growing kale seeds
If I bought 150 kale seeds and planted and reaped it, how much kale would I have?
Kale harvest
A lot. Seriously though, some of the seeds that you plant may not come up, other seedlings/plants may be subject to disease/insects or weather or cultural conditions that would either reduce their productivity or kill them. Also, it would depend on whether you harvested the whole plant, bunches, or individual leaves, and how those leaves were harvested (if you harvest the lower leaves, it will produce more leaves up top). However, basic average yield in a home garden for a 10-foot row, at 8- to 12-inch spacing, is about 4 to 8 pounds. Sources recommend about 4 to 5 plants per person. Hope this helps!
Kale
Most informative information provided for which we extend our thanks.
Kale can also prove to be very useful in a flower container (arrangement) and certainly looks tremendous.
prickly kale raw?
Hi everyone, my neighbor gave me some starts and he was unsure what they were. Now that they are bigger, I believe they are kale. I noticed the leaves are prickly and read here that was normal depending on the variety. My question is, can I eat prickly kale leaves raw? The starts were only planted about a month to 6 weeks ago so they shouldn't be too old. I prefer them in smoothies over cooked. Thanks in advance!
thorny prickly Kale
Actually I would like to know that too Tara... I don't know what to do with this latest batch cause it's VERY prickly.. I can feel it in my hands so I am worried about eating it. It's Russian Kale.
Since this is a two-fer, here
Russian kale is not the same as Siberian kale. Russian kale is edible but it is tough; it is usually grown as an ornamental (decorative) plant, not a food source.
"prickly" kale
You had us at “prickly”—that’s a new one around here. We think that you are referring to Siberian kale, sometimes also a dwarf variety. If so, its leaves have very “wavy” edges. Assuming that’s the plant, you should have no problem eating it raw. Or cooked. It’s delicious. A dwarf plant would produce leaves suitable to harvest in the time you describe. So go ahead—put a few prickly leaves into the blender and smooth them out! However, Siberia is in Russia, but that does not make Siberian kale the same thing as Russian red kale, a plant typically enjoyed for its ornamental benefits—it’s appearance, in other words. It is edible, but tough. Consult your neighbor and see what he gave you.
Prickly not curly
I too have sprouted a kale plant with thorns/spikes/sharp hairs. It came from a mix so I do not know what it was supposed to be. It looks like kale, grows like kale, has curly edges like kale and it also has sharp little hairs on the edge of the leaves, down the veins of the leaves, and less so on the body of the leaves.I haven't eaten it and I can find no information about it. Are we witnessing a defensive micro-evolution of kale, is this a rare species, or a genetic mutation like people can sometimes get?
Kale
My Kale, planted last September has produced abundant leaves through the "winter" (Vancouver Island) and with the warmer temperatures has shot up from 12 to 24" inches almost overnight, and the top appears to be about to flower.
Should I be cutting this back or removing it?
Should I be saving seeds if they appear from the budding at the top?
Are you eating it, Charles?
Are you eating it, Charles?
That’s quite a lot of growth! If you want to save the seeds, let it flower and see what happens (we have not had the pleasure).
Because kale is an annual, we would expect that you would want to get another crop going for this year, so removing it after it sets seeds and you harvest those would seem like your best bet.
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