vegetable · leafy green

Kale

The toughest green in the box. Kale crops right through winter, and a frost makes it sweeter rather than finishing it off.

Kale seedling
Seedling
Mature Kale
Ready to pick
Thrives
8–22°C
Water
Medium
Difficulty
Beginner
Ready in
55–75  days
Spacing
30cm apart
Containers
Yes

How to plant it

  • Plant 30cm apart. Closer clumps look good but give you smaller leaves, so space it properly if you want a real crop.
  • Add compost and lime, and rotate it away from wherever brassicas grew last season.
  • Pick the lower leaves from about eight weeks, working up the stem. Never strip the growing tip out of the top.
  • It gets sweeter after a frost, so do not pull it out when the weather turns. Winter is its season.
  • One plant keeps producing for months. Two or three will cover a household without trying.