How to Grow Kale

May 9, 2025 Bill Hageman

In this video, you'll learn how to grow a versatile cool-season vegetable in your own garden, KALE!

🥬 Resource Area: Grow, Know & Enjoy Kale

Kale is a versatile and relatively easy-to-grow vegetable you can add to your garden. Whether you're planting curly, Lacinato, or Russian kale, this guide pulls together everything you need—from growing tips to tasty recipes. Let’s dig in!

📘 Why Is Lacinato Kale Called Dinosaur Kale?
Explore the origins of the name "dinosaur kale" and what makes Lacinato kale stand out from other varieties with its bumpy, prehistoric-looking leaves and Italian culinary roots.
🌿 Growing Dinosaur Kale in Northern California
Learn how to grow Lacinato kale in cool-climate areas like the Sierra Nevada foothills. January is a great time to start seeds—this article breaks it down for Northern California gardeners.
💪 Kale Varieties, Uses, and Growing Guide
Compare kale types by leaf texture, color, cold tolerance, and kitchen use.
🍽️ Kale Chips Recipe
Crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying—make your own kale chips at home for a crisp baked snack.
🥗 Kale & Black Bean Salad Recipe
This hearty, nutrient-rich salad combines kale with protein-packed black beans, making it a perfect lunch or side dish.
🛒 Shop Organic Kale Seeds
Ready to get started? Choose from a wide selection of certified organic kale seeds including Lacinato, Red Russian, and Curly varieties—all perfect for backyard or container gardens.

With the right information and inspiration, growing kale can be rewarding, delicious, and incredibly good for you. Whether you're a first-time gardener or a seasoned grower, this resource hub has everything you need to make the most of your kale crop.

Place this crop in the brassica seed plan

Use the How to Grow Brassicas from Seed guide for shared cool-season timing, transplanting, rotation, and family problem prevention. Continue with the succession planting guide or browse kale seeds.

Kale planting and care

Kale performs best as a cool-season crop, although timing varies by region. Choose a site with strong light and soil that drains well. Add compost when needed and use a soil test to avoid excessive fertilizer. Direct sow at the packet depth or start seedlings indoors for transplanting. Harden indoor-grown plants gradually before moving them outside.

Spacing and watering

Thin or transplant to the spacing recommended for the variety and intended harvest. Plants grown for baby leaves can be closer than full-size plants. Keep the root zone evenly moist during establishment, then water deeply when rainfall is insufficient. Mulch can moderate soil temperature and reduce weeds once plants are established.

Common kale pests

Inspect leaf undersides for aphids, caterpillars, and eggs. Floating row cover can exclude some insects when installed before pests arrive, but remove or manage covers if flowering companion crops need pollinator access. Rotate brassicas when space permits, remove heavily infested residue, and use the least disruptive control that fits the identified pest.

Harvest

Begin with clean outer leaves and leave the central growing point intact for repeat harvests. Cut baby leaves when they reach the desired size. Cool harvested leaves promptly and wash them just before use. Flavor and texture often improve in cool weather, while heat can make leaves tougher or more bitter.

Kale questions

Can kale grow in containers? Yes. Use a container with drainage, sufficient soil volume, and consistent moisture. Why are seedlings leggy? They usually need stronger light or cooler growing conditions. Can kale survive frost? Many varieties tolerate light frost, but hardiness depends on variety, plant maturity, wind, and local conditions.

Choose a variety for the season

Packets may describe curly, flat, red, compact, baby-leaf, or cold-tolerant types. Compare days to maturity and mature size with the length of the cool growing window. Staggering small sowings can provide steadier harvests than planting the entire packet at once, especially when leaves rather than full heads are the goal.