How to grow kale

Kale is one of the hardiest vegetables you can grow. Frost doesn't hurt it: cold weather actually makes the leaves sweeter.

Reviewed October 2026

Start indoors

4–6 weeks before planting out

Fall planting

About 8–10 weeks before first fall frost

Seed depth

1/4–1/2 in

Days to harvest

50–70

When to plant

Kale grows best in cool weather and tolerates frost well, so it fits both ends of the season. In spring, start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks ahead, and plant out a few weeks before your last spring frost. For a fall crop, the more productive season in most gardens, sow or transplant in mid to late summer, about 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Check your dates in the planting planner.

Sowing and spacing

Sow seed 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart for picking young leaves, or up to 18 inches for big plants, in rows about 18 to 24 inches apart.

Cold and frost

Kale is rated "hardy" by Extension services: it shrugs off light frosts and keeps going into the 20s °F. A touch of frost turns some of its starches to sugar, so fall kale tastes milder and sweeter. In cold areas, a row cover can keep plants producing well into winter.

Harvesting

Pick the lower, outer leaves when they're about the size of your hand, and leave the center growing. Picked this way, one planting keeps producing for months. Leaves get tough and bitter in hot weather, so expect your best harvests in spring and fall.

Planting dates in Florida