How to Grow Kale in Your Home Garden

You can plant kale directly in the soil outdoors, or you can allow the seeds to germinate indoors and transplant them outside once the kale seedlings mature. When starting kale seeds indoors, plant them approximately six weeks before the last frost of the season; bury seeds in a half an inch of moist soil in a seed tray, and wait for them to sprout. After about two weeks, they’ll be ready to transplant in your garden. To direct seed, simply sow seeds under about half an inch of soil with 10 inches of space in between seeds. Kale seeds will germinate as long as the soil temperature is above 45°F.

There are many varieties of kale plants (Brassica oleracea) including Red Russian, Lacinato, and Hanover Salad. When it comes to caring for different varieties of kale, the basic guidelines are the same.

1. 1. Season: Kale is a biennial, meaning it usually takes two growing seasons to complete its full life cycle. That being said, most gardeners choose to grow kale as an annual and fully harvest their kale plants after the first season. Kale can survive bouts of cool weather, and a light frost will sweeten kale leaves. Hot weather in mid-to-late summer will turn kale bitter. Kale can’t survive extremely cold weather or snow unless it’s protected by a cold frame. The ideal temperature range for growing kale is between 65 and 75°F. Kale thrives from the early spring to early summer in most climates.
2. 2. Light: Kale plants can handle either full sun or partial shade. The amount of sunlight a kale plant requires depends somewhat on the temperature. If the weather is hot and humidity is low, partial shade is ideal. If temperatures are mild, kale plants do well in full uninterrupted sunlight.
3. 3. Soil: Kale plants flourish in rich, acidic soil. Use mulch to and keep soil temperature down. Add compost or some other form of organic matter to your soil periodically during the growing season.
4. 4. Water: Be sure to give your kale plants plenty of water. High soil moisture leads to sweet, tender leaves. Mulching is helpful if you’re growing kale in a particularly hot and dry climate—it helps the soil retain moisture.
5. 5. Pests: All sorts of pests can prey on your kale plants, including aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage worms. Use row covers to protect your kale from pests, and handpick worms off the leaves. Check on your kale regularly to look for black spots, which often signal an aphid infestation. Sage makes for an ideal companion plant to kale since it repels flea beetles.

It generally takes two months from the planting date for kale to fully mature, but you can harvest young leaves before a plant reaches maturity. Pick larger leaves from the outside of the plant and allow smaller leaves to grow from the center. You can harvest kale leaves multiple times from the same plant. Store harvested kale leaves in an unsealed plastic bag to retain moisture. Once harvested, kale leaves will stay fresh for a week or two in the refrigerator.

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