Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Kale

Kale has recently come into its own in the culinary world. It’s a superfood, which means it’s appearing in all kind of meals, from main courses to energy shakes. This member of the cabbage family is also surprisingly easy to grow. Leaf colors range from chartreuse to red to blue-green and many other shades of green; its leaves are curled or ruffled. Like cabbage, kale also comes in an ornamental variety that is also edible.

Best of all, the colder it gets, the happier kale is. It even tastes better after the first frost and does fine under a blanket of snow as long as its roots don’t get too wet.

More: How to grow cool-season vegetables

When to plant: Sow seeds in late summer and fall for fall and winter harvest. For a summer harvest, plant in spring two weeks to a month before the last frost date.

Days to maturity: 55 to 75

Light requirement: A sunny spot is best, though afternoon shade is good if the climate is very hot.

Water requirement: Water regularly and consistently until just before the first frost.

Favorites: Dwarf Blue Curled, Dwarf Siberian, Lacinato, Redbor, Red Ursa, Russian Red, Siberian, Vates, White Russian, Winterbor

Planting and care: Sow seeds about a quarter inch deep and an inch apart, then thin to about 8 inches to 1 1/2 feet apart, depending on plant size (eat the thinnings as an early garden treat). Kale does best in good soil with consistent watering. Fertilize the soil with a complete food during planting and about a month later. The plants can reach 3 feet tall, so you may need to stake them. Kale can take some summer heat but is more likely to bloom than to produce leaves then. Pests and diseases are pretty insignificant.

Harvest: Start cutting leaves from the outside or else pull up the entire plant.

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