When to plant kale
Vegetable, hardy
Direct-sow spring crops about 3 weeks before the last frost and fall crops 10–12 weeks before the first killing frost. Mature leaves take about 50–75 days (baby leaves nearer 30) and a light frost sweetens them.
The general rule
- Sow outdoors
- 3 weeks before the last spring frost
- Sow for fall
- 10–12 weeks before the first fall frost
- Days to maturity
- 50–75 days
What that means in different climates
The same rule applied to the safer frost dates of cities from cold to frost-free.
| City | Last frost · safer | Sow outdoors | Sow for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | Jan 23 | Jan 2 – Jan 2 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Tucson, AZ | Mar 2 | Feb 9 – Feb 9 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Portland, OR | Mar 21 | Feb 28 – Feb 28 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Baltimore, MD | Apr 4 | Mar 14 – Mar 14 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| New York, NY | Apr 12 | Mar 22 – Mar 22 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 16 | Mar 26 – Mar 26 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Louisville, KY | Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 2 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Omaha, NE | May 6 | Apr 15 – Apr 15 | Jul 10 – Jul 24 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | May 15 | Apr 24 – Apr 24 | Jul 4 – Jul 18 |
| Miami, FL | Frost rare | Frost is rare: fall and winter. | |