How to grow kale
Brassica oleracea var. acephala
Get your exact dates
The windows below are relative to your frost dates. Enter your ZIP for the calendar dates.
Open the planting calendarWhen to plant kale
Start seeds indoors11 weeks before your last spring frost to 9 weeks before your last spring frost
Transplant outdoors5 weeks before your last spring frost to 4 weeks before your last spring frost
Direct sow5 weeks before your last spring frost to 4 weeks before your last spring frost
Fall planting9 weeks before your first fall frost to 4 weeks before your first fall frost
Growing conditions
- Spacing
- 12 in apart, rows 24 in
- Planting depth
- 0.25 in
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- 1 in per week
Common problems
- aphids
- cabbage worms
- cabbage loopers
- flea beetles
Kale by hardiness zone
Planting dates for a typical location in each zone:
Sources
Last updated 2026-06-11.