Kale Plant: How to Grow Kale for Spring, Fall and Winter Harvests

Sow or set out kale 3 to 5 weeks before the last spring frost, or sow in mid to late summer for fall. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart; as a rule, pick the lower leaves as they reach full size. Established kale handles hard frost, and frost improves its flavor.

Sources: Maryland Extension, Utah State University Extension, NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Alabama Cooperative Extension System and 5 more. See the sources we used. How we source our guides

Updated October 29, 2026

Painted single curly kale leaf with deeply ruffled green edges and a pale stem

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To grow kale, sow it 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in early spring, about 3 to 5 weeks before your last frost, or set out transplants then, generally 3 to 6 weeks old, and space the plants 12 to 18 inches apart. For a fall and winter crop, count back from your first fall frost and sow in mid to late summer. The lower leaves are generally picked first, once they reach full size, starting roughly 50 to 70 days after sowing, and the plant keeps making new ones from the top. Frost improves the flavor, and established kale rides out hard freezes.

The kale plant is a leafy form of Brassica oleracea, the species that also gave us cabbage and broccoli, which makes it one of the brassicas. It can grow 2 to 4 feet tall and wide in full sun, sown in spring or fall, and in the South it can be grown all winter. The planting dates below are worked out for four weather stations, from the extension and seed company pages listed at the end.

Kale at a glance
Sun	Full sun, 6 or more hours; tolerates partial shade (4 to 6 hours)
Sowing depth	1/4 to 1/2 inch
Spacing	12 to 18 inches; up to 24 inches for large plants
Germination soil temperature	Above 75 F until seed comes up in a flat, if possible
Growing temperature	55 to 75 F, optimum 60 to 70 F
Water	About 1 to 2 inches a week
Days to maturity	50 to 70 days from seed
Frost tolerance	15 to 20 F; young plants to 25 F; mature plants extremely hardy

When to plant kale

Kale has two seasons. In spring it goes out early, 3 to 5 weeks ahead of the last frost: one guide puts transplants (and direct-sown seed) in the ground 4 to 5 weeks before it, and another sows as soon as the soil can be worked, which it puts at 3 to 4 weeks before the frost date. Growing a transplant takes 3 to 6 weeks: 3 to 5 in one guide, 4 to 6 in another, and generally 5 to 6 in a third, for a transplant with 4 to 6 mature leaves. The table below adds that last count to the 4 to 5 week set-out, so indoor sowing lands roughly 9 to 11 weeks before the last frost.

In fall the count runs backward from the first frost. One method takes a variety's days to maturity, adds 10 to 14 days as a short day factor for the slower growth of fall, and sows that many days before the first fall frost. For a 55-day kale that is 65 to 69 days ahead. Another guide gives an outer limit for direct sowing of roughly 3 months before the expected fall frost, and a third times the fall crop to reach maturity about 2 to 3 weeks past the first fall frost.

Kale planting dates at four weather stations
Station (1991-2020 normals)	Median last spring 32 F	Median first fall 32 F	Start seed indoors (9 to 11 weeks before last frost)	Set out transplants or sow (4 to 5 weeks before last frost; one count, another says 3 to 4)	Fall sowing, 55-day kale (55 days plus 10 to 14)
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN	Apr 23	Oct 18	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Mar 26	Aug 10 to Aug 14
Chicago O'Hare, IL	Apr 16	Oct 28	Jan 29 to Feb 12	Mar 12 to Mar 19	Aug 20 to Aug 24
Washington Reagan, VA	Mar 24	Nov 18	Jan 6 to Jan 20	Feb 17 to Feb 24	Sep 10 to Sep 14
Atlanta Hartsfield, GA	Mar 15	Nov 20	Dec 28 to Jan 11	Feb 8 to Feb 15	Sep 12 to Sep 16

Frost dates are 1991-2020 normals: the date by which a 32 F night is 50 percent likely to be past (spring) or to have arrived (fall). Indoor start = the 4 to 5 week set-out window plus the usual 5 to 6 weeks one guide gives to grow a transplant. Fall column = 55 days to maturity plus a 10 to 14 day short day factor, counted back from the first fall frost.

The table uses each station's median frost dates from the 1991-2020 climate normals. A hardiness zone tells you how cold winter gets, not when frost arrives, so look up the station nearest you rather than reading a zone map. In mild-winter places the calendar stretches further: kale transplants can go out from September to February where temperatures rarely fall below 32 F, and in Alabama kale is planted in February and October.

Fall and winter kale: how much cold it takes

This is where kale earns its place in a winter garden. Every guide calls it cold hardy; they differ on the number:

15 to 20 F. Kale and turnip greens tolerate 15 to 20 F, more cold than collards, and kale may re-sprout from its stems in spring if the winter is not too severe.
25 F for young plants. Young plants are not seriously hurt down to 25 F, and mature plants are extremely hardy. Many gardeners leave kale in the ground all winter.
Frost and light freezes. Kale tolerates frost and light freezes, so in the South it can grow through the winter.
Until Christmas. Kale is very cold tolerant and is often picked right up until Christmas along the Front Range.

Read together, the guides say young transplants need more care than settled plants, and a plant that has hardened off through a cool fall handles far more. In the mid-Atlantic, a protected spot, floating row cover or a cold frame carries greens well into the fall, and row covers can extend the harvest. Fall may also be the better season for flavor: frost raises the sugar content of the leaves and improves the taste of the fall crop.

Heat is the other limit. Kale does well while temperatures stay at or below 75 F, and high summer heat slows growth and brings bitter or off flavors. Its comfortable range is 55 to 75 F, with 60 to 70 F the optimum. That is why spring kale is a race against summer and fall kale is the easier crop, much as with fall carrots.

Starting kale indoors for spring

Transplants give you an earlier harvest, which matters in spring when heat is coming. Drop 2 seeds into each cell of a 50 to 72 cell plug flat. Seedlings are ready to set out in 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the guide; transplant size means a seedling with 4 to 6 mature leaves and a solid root ball.

Warmth to germinate, cool to grow. If possible, keep the soil above 75 F until the seed comes up, then drop the air to about 60 F so the seedlings stay sturdy.
Depth. Plant 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, in an outdoor seedbed or the garden row.
Thin. Thin direct-sown kale once the plants have 3 to 4 true leaves; the thinnings can be moved to fill gaps.
Days to maturity. Seed packet days usually count from direct sowing. Take about 14 to 15 days off for transplants.

How far apart to plant kale

Set the plants 12 to 18 inches apart, in rows 18 to 36 inches apart. For big plants, one guide goes as wide as 24 inches, and it points out the opposite approach too: sown 2 to 4 inches apart, kale makes a dense patch of small plants for repeated cutting as baby greens.

Kale numbers: the range across the guides
	The range the guides give
Seed depth	1/4 to 1/2 in
Plant spacing	12 to 18 in, up to 24 in for large plants (2 to 4 in for baby greens); rows 18 to 36 in
Spring timing	Sow or set out 3 to 5 weeks before last frost
Transplant age	3 to 6 weeks
Fall timing	Days to maturity + 10 to 14, before first frost; or mature about 2 to 3 weeks after first frost; or direct sow until about 3 months before frost
Days to harvest	50 to 70 for kale (40 to 80 for leafy greens as a group); about 2 months
Cold limit	15 to 20 F; young plants to 25 F, mature extremely hardy; a winter crop where it rarely drops below 32 F

Variety pages: Red Russian 50 days, Nero di Toscana 50 days, Lacinato 60 days full size, 30 baby.

Watering kale

Keep the water even: roughly 1 to 2 inches a week, since swings in soil moisture make the leaves tough and off-flavored. Mulch helps hold that moisture once the soil warms.

Harvesting leaves so the plant keeps going

Kale is picked a few leaves at a time, which is why one planting lasts for months. The guides agree on the method:

Harvest usually starts with the oldest leaves at the bottom of the stem once they reach full size, leaving the young center leaves to grow.
Picking from the bottom of the stem encourages more leaf production. Clip individual leaves, starting about 2 months after planting.
Choose leaves that are large but still tender; yellowing or browning leaves are past their prime and belong in the compost.

Timing varies by variety and season: 50 to 70 days from seed for kale, or 40 to 80 for the leafy greens as a group. The variety pages range from 50 days (Red Russian, Nero di Toscana) to 60 days for full-size lacinato, with baby leaves in about 30.

For a quick cut-and-come-again bed, sow thickly, shear the plants with scissors when they reach 6 to 10 inches, and cut again 2 to 3 weeks later. Picked leaves store for 2 to 3 weeks near freezing, at 32 F and 95 percent humidity. Late in winter or in spring the plants bolt, sending up clusters of yellow four-petaled flowers, and the leaf harvest is over.

Cabbage worms and aphids

Kale has fewer pest problems than cabbage, and cabbageworms prefer other cole crops to kale and to turnips and rutabagas. Three pests still turn up:

Imported cabbageworm. A velvety green caterpillar marked by one yellow stripe along its back, about 1 1/4 inches long when grown, and a white butterfly, usually with black wing tips and black spots, that lays its eggs under the outer leaves. Look for holes that grow larger and for dark green droppings under the feeding.
Aphids. Soft-bodied insects, green or black, on the undersides of leaves, which crinkle and curl the leaves; a strong spray of water knocks them off.
Flea beetles. Tiny jumping beetles that pepper seedling leaves with small round holes, most under 1/8 inch across. They do the most damage in spring, and seedlings are hit hardest.

The common answer is a barrier. Floating row cover prevents cabbageworm egg-laying, row covers put on at planting keep pests off the crop, and row covers or other screening keep flea beetles out while seedlings grow. Put the cover on at planting, before the butterflies find the bed, and seal the edges. For caterpillars that get through, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) controls cabbage worms and works well on younger caterpillars.

What to plant with kale

It is well documented that some spicier brassicas such as arugula and mustard can act as flea beetle traps, and trap plantings of 3 or more species do better than a single one; repellent companions have little research behind them. One guide names nasturtium as a trap crop for kale; another pairs the cabbage family with legumes such as edamame. See the companion planting chart.

Curly, lacinato and Red Russian: which kale to grow

Garden kale includes Scotch, Russian and curly kinds, all from wild cabbage. Three types cover most needs:

Curly kale. The frilly blue-green type is the most common vegetable kale in America, with Vates Dwarf Blue and Scotch Curled as examples. Curly kinds hold up in cooking such as soup.
Lacinato kale. Long, narrow, dark blue-green, heavily savoyed leaves, also called Dinosaur kale and Tuscan kale. One seed company lists it at 60 days full size, sweetening with each frost, and calls it one of its most tender kales, suited to raw salads. Nero di Toscana, a lacinato type also called Black Palm, is listed at 50 days and as extremely winter hardy.
Red Russian kale. Flat, red-tinged leaves on red stems. It is listed among the very cold tolerant kinds, and flat Russian types suit stir fries with little cooking. One variety list gives Red Russian 50 days with good cold hardiness.

If you grow only one, choose by season: all three handle fall, and the guides single out lacinato and Red Russian for cold.

Kale seeds and supplies

Pick one curly, one lacinato and one Red Russian packet for a fall bed and you will see the range. A domed seed-starting tray covers the indoor start, and row cover or insect netting put on at planting is the most useful pest step on this page. Snips make picking a leaf at a time quick.

What you'll need for kale

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KVITER Vates Blue Scotch Curly Kale Seeds
Vates Dwarf Blue and Scotch Curled are typical curly kales, and curly kinds hold up in soup.
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Earthcare Seeds Lacinato (Nero di Toscana) Kale Seeds
Lacinato is listed at 60 days full size, sweetening with each frost; Nero di Toscana at 50 days, extremely winter hardy.
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Burpee 72 Cell Greenhouse Kit
Sow kale 2 seeds per cell in 50 to 72 cell plug flats; transplants are ready in 3 to 6 weeks.
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Agribon AG-19 Floating Row Cover, 10 x 50 ft
Floating row cover put on at planting keeps cabbageworm moths from laying eggs on the leaves.
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Corona FS 3214D ComfortGEL Micro Snips
Kale is harvested a leaf at a time, by clipping individual leaves.
Check price on Amazon

Sources we used

Kale facts on this page come from the extension and seed company pages listed here. A saved copy of each backs every figure; where the pages give different numbers, the text gives the full range or says how they split.

How to grow rosemary, an herb one guide lists for drawing wasps that attack leaf-eating caterpillars.
How to grow mint, with what two guides say about mint and the white cabbage moth.
Fungus gnats in seed trays, the small flies a damp indoor start can draw.
Seed starting trays buying guide, our pick of cell trays for a spring start indoors.
How to grow carrots, which share the fall bed and the frost-sweetened flavor.
How to grow arugula, a quicker green for the same cool seasons.
Sprouts in a jar for fresh greens indoors in midwinter.
Growing brassicas, the whole cabbage family, kale included.
How to grow swiss chard, another green that keeps giving into fall.
How to grow leeks, for a winter harvest beside the kale.
How to grow cauliflower, a fussier cousin in the same family.
Radicchio and other chicories, bitter greens that also like a cool fall.
How to protect plants from frost, with the fabric weights compared.
Frost cloth and row cover picks, our pick for each cover job.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant kale?

Plant kale in early spring, about 3 to 5 weeks before your last frost, and in mid to late summer for fall. Spring seed can go in as soon as the soil can be worked. For fall, one method adds 10 to 14 days to the variety's days to maturity and counts back from the first fall frost.

How do you plant kale?

Sow kale 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Thin the seedlings when they have 3 to 4 true leaves. Space plants or transplants 12 to 18 inches apart. One guide allows up to 24 inches for large plants, or 2 to 4 inches for baby greens.

How cold can kale survive?

Established kale rides out hard frost. One guide puts its limit at 15 to 20 F; another says young plants are not seriously damaged down to 25 F while mature plants are extremely hardy. Frost also helps the taste: it raises the sugar in the leaves. Row cover or a cold frame can stretch the season.

How do you harvest kale so it keeps growing?

As a rule, pick the lower, older leaves once they reach full size and leave the young leaves at the top to keep growing. Taking leaves from the bottom of the stem encourages more leaf production. Choose leaves that are large but still tender, and compost any that have turned yellow or brown.

How long does kale take to grow?

Full-size kale leaves are ready about 50 to 70 days from seed. One lacinato is listed at 30 days for baby leaves and 60 days for full size. Transplants take about 14 to 15 days off those figures, because packet days usually count from direct sowing.

How do I keep cabbage worms off kale?

Cover kale with floating row cover at planting, before the white butterflies lay their eggs; the cover prevents egg-laying. Seal the edges so nothing crawls under. For caterpillars that get through, Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) works well on younger caterpillars.

What can I plant with kale?

Plant arugula, mustard or nasturtium near kale as trap crops that can draw pests away. It is well documented that some spicier brassicas can serve as flea beetle traps, and 3 or more trap species planted together outperform any single one. One guide names nasturtium for kale, and another pairs the cabbage family with legumes such as edamame.

Kale Plant: How to Grow Kale for Spring, Fall and Winter Harvests

When to plant kale

Fall and winter kale: how much cold it takes