Kale prefers cool weather.
Like other leafy greens, kale contains vitamins A, C, K, iron and calcium. It is not suitable for eating raw, but the vegetable can be steamed, sauteed, boiled or baked into kale chips. You can plant kale from seed in the early spring and late summer for harvest in the late spring and autumn. Does this Spark an idea?
Time Frame
Kale is a cool-weather crop, meaning it does best with moderate temperatures out of the summer heat. Gardeners can prepare the garden for kale and plant this crop before the last frost date in spring, and make a second planting in the fall. The exact time frame varies by location, but plant seeds outdoors about one month before the last frost date. For fall planting, begin about two months or 65 to 69 days before the first frost date in your area, suggests the University of Maryland.
Preparation
Prepare the garden in the spring for planting so kale seeds can grow. Turn the soil over with a shovel to loosen soil clods and aerate the ground. If you want to enrich the soil, spread 2 inches of compost or manure over the garden bed, and turn this into the soil with your shovel. Smooth out the soil with a rake. Create furrows with a trowel so you can lay your kale seeds in the furrows.
Spacing
Kale plants need enough space to grow. Plant the seeds 1/4 to 3/4 inch deep, leaving about 4 inches between seeds. Plan to leave 8 to 12 inches between rows of kale so the plants can develop. Once the seedlings mature, thin them out to leave 8 inches between kale plants. Plants need air circulation to ward off disease, which is why you should space kale carefully.
Weather
Kale dislikes temperatures over 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Young plants can withstand seriously cold temperatures, as low as 25 degrees, and mature plants can tolerate even colder weather. If you have short springs and hot summers, look for short maturing kale types so the greens can ripen before the weather gets too hot. On average, kale plants are ready to harvest 55 to 65 days after planting.
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