Kale

Kale

Brassica oleracea var. sabellica

Start kale indoors 9 weeks before your last spring frost, then plant out 4 weeks before your last spring frost. Space plants 12 in (30 cm) apart.

Photo: Tim Stahel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

When to plant

Timed from your frost dates, so it holds wherever you garden. Give yours and every step below becomes a date.

See the dates for your garden

Enter your average last spring frost and first fall frost. Every timing on this site turns into a calendar date. Not sure of yours? Your local extension service or a search for “last frost date” and your town will tell you; the app finds them from your location.

Last spring frost
First fall frost

Saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Optimal Indoor Start

From seedRecommended
  1. Start indoors9 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. Begin hardening off5 weeks before your last spring frost
  3. Plant out4 weeks before your last spring frost
  4. First harvestabout 55 days after planting out

Optimal Transplant

From seed
  1. Plant out4 weeks before your last spring frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after planting out

Optimal Fall Direct Sow

From seed
  1. Sow outdoorsabout 12 weeks before your first fall frost
  2. First harvestabout 60 days after sowing

Optimal Fall Transplant

From seed
  1. Plant outabout 11 weeks before your first fall frost
  2. First harvestabout 55 days after planting out

Growing kale

Spacing in the row
12 in (30 cm)
Between rows
24 in (61 cm)
Planting depth
1/2 inch
Sun
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, fertile, rich in organic matter (pH balanced as per user context).
Germination
5-10 days at 45-85°F
Harvest season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Mature height
12-36 inches
Life cycle
Biennial

Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep. Ensure consistent moisture for germination.

Watering. Maintain consistent soil moisture; avoid drought stress to prevent bitterness.

Neighbours

The companion chart →

Grows well beside

Keep apart from

Feeding

Seedlings
Light liquid feed after true leaves emerge.
Growing
Balanced organic fertilizer mid-season.
How often
Every 3-4 weeks once established.
Note
Excessive nitrogen late in the season can reduce leaf flavor and quality.

Your kale, planned to the day.

Canopy turns these timings into dates from your own frost data, places every plant at its spacing on your garden map, and tracks it all the way to harvest.

Add kale to your planting calendar →

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