Kale is a cold-hardy crop that can be planted in early spring or late summer. Cool weather brings out the sweet, nutty flavor of this highly nutritious leafy green. Dive into our Kale Growing guide for information on planting, growing, and harvesting this hard-working beauty.
Kale is a member of the Brassica family, like cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and other common “cole crops.”
In the spring, kale can be started from seed and young kale plants can be set out very early (3 to 5 weeks before the last frost). But in many regions, kale is best grown in autumn, when temperatures are cooler. Kale tastes better when the leaves mature in cold weather.
Kale is versatile in the garden, growing in traditional beds or raised beds and containers. It’s also versatile in the kitchen and a nutritious addition to salads, stir fries, omelettes, casseroles, and other dishes.
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My purple kale in squamish BC
My purple kale in squamish BC has done amazing all winter. now with flowers opening up in top will those flower buds act as seeds? I cut down the stalks but left the stem and roots with a few little growths. I tryed planting the flower buds as seeds. will I have any luck with any of these trials?
Hi Nigel, Flowers are the
Hi Nigel,
Flowers are the first step on the way to seeds. The bees need to pollinate the flowers for them to be able to form seeds. I wouldn't bother planting the flowers. The stem and roots may produce something--it depends upon a number of things.
I had some insect on my kale
I had some insect on my kale last year, all over
Do not know what the were bit ugly and
I pulled out my kale plants. Any recommendation
how to get rid of insects on kale. A
There are a variety of
There are a variety of insects that love kale. See the pests mentioned above to identify.
By mid-summer, my kale was
By mid-summer, my kale was wormy & bitter. I cut it down to about 6" tall & removed any remaining leaves. It leafed out again & I had a nice fall crop. Dispose of the leaves (& worms). Don't try to compose them.
Good guidance. Can kale grow
Good guidance. Can kale grow indoors without direct sunlight?
Hi Ratna, I've never tried
Hi Ratna,
I've never tried it myself, but you might be able to grow it under grow lights.
I grow kale & Swiss chard
I grow kale & Swiss chard under a grow light & use the small leaves in green salads to accompany my grow-light lettuce.
Kale will grow in low light
Kale will grow in low light conditions, just not very fast. I threw old plants that were going to seed under my deck and they grew. You may need some light to get the seedlings going. I've also grown red Russian and curly kale in pots. Again, much lower yield but if you've got the space, still work it.
It is possible to harvest
It is possible to harvest Kale in the caribbean?
Hi Jorge, I don't really
Hi Jorge,
I don't really know. Kale is generally considered a cool weather crop. Ask at a local nursery.
Yes you can!
I've grown beautiful kale on Curacao. Kept it growing for about 8 month. Then had to pull them all out because the aphids took over. Vinegar and water rinse got rid of them, then steamed and froze for a year of "boerenkool". Grew them in the shade, in beds. Good luck!
I planted kale for the first
I planted kale for the first time here on the costa blanca in Spain. Temp is 28c in shade. Planted in May/june. Its growing well and ready for harvest. Keep watering well.
I live in North Carolina
I live in North Carolina (Zone 7B) and the birds ate all my kale seedlings in the fall. Is it possible to start new seeds indoors now and transplant to my garden in a few weeks? Or will it be too cold for it to start?
Thank you.
Start your seeds indoors in a
Start your seeds indoors in a sunny location about 8 or 9 weeks before your expected last frost date. Transplant the seedlings out into the garden 3 weeks after you started them (6 weeks before your last frost date). They will tolerate the cold.
I'm an apartment dweller who
I'm an apartment dweller who recently acquired one with a balcony. Can you provide some suggestions / probability of successfully growing kale in containers? Specifically hoping to grow lacinato and curly purple varieties. Thanks.
Dear Kale-iscious, I have
Dear Kale-iscious,
I have never grown kale in pots, but don't see that it couldn't be done. Just use the biggest pots that you can find and make sure that they get at least 6 (preferably more) hours of Sun. Also, give them lots of organic matter (old manure, compost, etc.).
I have Kale growing in a pot
I have Kale growing in a pot with lavender right now. I pick it while it is no bigger than my hand and usually smaller. It is good in salads or in small batches of pesto which for me is often just olive oil and Kale. It gets a few hours of more direct light but is mostly getting indirect. This is not the large hearty kale like in my outdoor garden ( I am lucky to have a community p-patch garden). It is delicate and delicious.
Grow in a straw bale. They're
Grow in a straw bale. They're cute cheap and effective for growing plants.
Grow in a straw bale. They're
Grow in a straw bale. They're cute cheap and effective for growing plants.
I sowed kale seed in my new
I sowed kale seed in my new cold frame which has 12,000+ lumens of wintertime supplemental light here in NH. It all germinated and is now about 3" tall and is tightly spaced. If I use scissors to cut bunches of baby kale will it regenerate as lettuce would? Or must I harvest individual leaves to get the plants to continue to produce (as we have been doing in the open garden for 3 to 4 months now). Thanks.
Dear Winter Gardener I am
Dear Winter Gardener
I am not 100% sure, but I suspect that it will not generate like lettuce. I generally pick individual leaves from the outside or bottom first.
My kale plants are currently
My kale plants are currently covered with melting ice. Is it ok to harvest some leaves now, or will that harm the plant?
Kale is a cold-weather
Kale is a cold-weather champion and can withstand a hard frost; this even makes the veggie taste sweeter. Kale can even survive an extreme freeze; you may lose some leaves but when the temperature warms up to 0 degrees, the leaves start to regrow.
Can I put kale seeds directly
Can I put kale seeds directly in the ground now, even in the middle of summer? I live in southern NJ
You can plant kale in your
You can plant kale in your area as a fall crop. Planting seeds mid-July through late August is fine. (Southern readers: wait until October before planting.)
Harvesting Early
I planted Winterbor Kale April 16th it is growing wonderfully. Maturity is 55-60 days but in the next few days the temp. will reach above 80 degrees. Can I begin harvesting now before it gets too hot and the leaves get bitter?
summer
I just planted some curly kale plants. I keep reading that it is a cool weather plant. Is it too hot in the summer to grow kale?
Yes, kale is a cool-season
Yes, kale is a cool-season vegetable that is grown primarily in spring and fall. For good taste, kale is best harvested before summer heat or after frost in the fall to avoid bitter leaves.
How to harvest?
Do you just cut off what you need each time and leave the plant to keep regrowing or do you harvest the whole thing and it is done?
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