Kale

Kale is a green, leafy vegetable in the cabbage family that has many health benefits as well as tastes great in different recipes. On this page are the instructions to plant, grow, harvest, and use kale on your own! 

• Seed Harvesting Code: Green (easy)

• Growing Code: White (easy)

Planting Instructions: 

• The plants take full sun to grow best. 

• Fertile soil is preferred by the kale plants but if the soil is not the best then compost can be used as a supplement. 

• Kale is best grown before temperatures get too high. (No temperatures higher than 75 °F)

• If planting in the spring, plant the seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. 

  • Seeds are able to germinate in temperatures that are down to about 40 °F. 

• If planting in the fall, plant the seeds 3 months before the first fall frost. 

• Kale can be grown in the winter as well as long as it is undercover or in a region where temperatures are more moderate. 

  • Southwest

  • Southeast

  • Pacific Northeast

• Plant the kale seeds about 0.25 to 0.50 inches deep and about 1 inch apart. 

• Water the seeds after planting, just enough to allow the soil to absorb the water. 

• Kale is biennial plant meaning that the leafy part of the plant grows in the first year and then in the second year they will resume growth and start seed setting. 

Growth Information:

• Germination should be about 14 days after planting. 

• Plants should get about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. 

• If the plants are not growing, nitrogen rich fertilizer can be added to the soil for them. 

• Add mulch around plants if weeds become an issue or if the temperature is going to get too cold. 

Harvesting Seeds: 

• Look for when the seeds stalks start to turn brown and dry out before you remove the seeds. 

  • Remove the pods from the main stem and allow them to dry out for a few days. 

  • Then place the pods in a brown paper bag and shake the bag to release the seeds. 

  • These seeds should then be placed in a cool area until they are ready to plant. 

• If you are planning to just eat the leaves of the kale plant here are some instructions:

  • The kale leaves will be the size of your hand when they are ready to harvest

  • Take a few leaves from the outside of the plant each time that you harvest. 

    • Avoid taking leaves from the inside of the plant because that is how the plant is able to continue to produce leaves. 

  • The plants will continue to grow until the temperature gets to about 20 °F. 

  • This fresh kale should last for about a week in a bag in the refrigerator.