← Back to Growing Guides

Growing Kale

A kale plant with dark blue-green ruffled leaves growing upright in a garden bed

About the toughest green in the garden, and it just keeps giving through frost.

SunFull sun to part shade
SoilRich, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.5
Spacing18–24 in. apart
Harvest55–65 days

How to Grow Kale

Planting

Direct sow or transplant, kale is forgiving either way. It tolerates cold far better than heat, so time a spring crop early or lean into fall planting.

Watering & feeding

Regular, even watering keeps the leaves tender, kale left too dry turns tough and bitter fast.

Harvest

Pick outer leaves as you need them and the plant keeps producing from the center for months. Like collards, a frost actually improves the flavor.

Grows Well With

Plant kale near dill or nasturtiums, both help draw aphids and cabbage worms away from the leaves. See all our companion planting pairs →

When to Plant

Direct sow or transplant in March for spring, or again in August for a fall-into-winter crop that’ll outlast almost everything else in the bed. See the full planting calendar →

Buy the Seeds We Use

Organic Vegetable Seeds - Kale

From the Seed Center

Shop Kale Seeds

$1.25

From the Kitchen: Recipes Using Kale

Skillet Garlic & Herb Kale, a Ferrand Farms recipe

Skillet Garlic & Herb Kale

Deep, savory braised kale built pork-free with smoked paprika and good stock instead of a ham hock.
Kale & Herb Garden Frittata, a Ferrand Farms recipe

Kale & Herb Garden Frittata

A baked egg dish loaded with kale, spinach, and whatever herbs are looking good that morning.