🥬
Kale
Curly (Vates Blue Curled)
Leafy GreensDirect SowTransplant
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
Every 5 days
🌱
Germination
10 days
🕐
Days to harvest
60 days
📏
Planting depth
0.5 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
18 inches
When to Plant
Direct sow in early spring or fall
Growing Guide
Soil: rich, well-drained · pH 6.0–7.0
Kale is forgiving but rewards rich soil. Work in 2–3 inches of compost. Being a heavy nitrogen feeder, a slow-release nitrogen source at planting helps enormously.
- Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost, or direct sow
- Transplant at 6-leaf stage; space 18 inches apart for full-size plants
- Kale can be planted in both spring and late summer for fall/overwintering harvest
- Fall-planted kale is dramatically sweeter after frost — plan a late-July sowing
- Mulch well to maintain even soil moisture and suppress weeds
Care
💧 Water every 5 days
🌿 Fertilize every 21 days
📐 Spacing: 12 inches apart · 18 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 2
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 60 days with a harvest window of 90 days.
- Always harvest lowest outer leaves first, working up the stem
- Leave the growing tip intact — the plant will continue producing new leaves from the center
- Harvest year-round in mild climates; in zone 5 overwintered kale resumes growth in March
- Frost-kissed kale (after several nights below 28°F) is noticeably sweeter — worth the wait
Storage
Store bunches loosely wrapped in damp paper towel in a bag in the crisper drawer. Keeps 5–7 days. Kale holds better than most greens. Blanch and freeze for long-term storage.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
beetonion
Essential Tools
- Sharp scissors or knife (leaf harvesting)
- Row cover (extending season and preventing cabbage butterfly)
Pests & Diseases
- Cabbage white butterfly caterpillar: chewed holes in leaves — inspect undersides for pale yellow eggs; row covers prevent egg-laying entirely
- Cabbage aphid: waxy grey colonies on undersides — spray off with water; beneficial insects keep populations in check
- Club root: swollen, distorted roots causing wilting — maintain pH above 6.5; long rotation essential