If you ’re decide when to sow dough , there are a act of factor to regard . These admit the time of year , your growing geographical zone , your want harvest date , and the uncommitted growing condition .

One of the salutary thing about this hardy greenness is that it is fairly compromising in footing of when you may start produce it , and a few weeks ’ difference wo n’t lay your flora back too much .

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A close up of little green kale seedlings, with beads of water on some of the leaves, the background is more of these seedlings, and the dark earth underneath them in soft focus.

Photo by Briana Yablonski

Here ’s what ’s to come in this clause :

What You’ll Learn

When to Sow Based on Hardiness Zone

Your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone is an authoritative factor to consider when you are deciding what calendar month to sow kale . You canread more about these hardiness zone here .

Those who survive in a hardiness zona with a high number can start growing earlier in the saltation and later in the fall than those who survive in a hardiness zone with a low numeral . As the hardiness zone number increase , the growing season get longer .

Other utilitarian information for determining the planting appointment is your anticipate last Robert Lee Frost date in the springiness , and first rime appointment in the fall .

A close up of freshly harvested curly kale leaves, their dark green color contrasting with the lighter veins. In the center and at the bottom of the frame is green and white text across the image.

Photo by Briana Yablonski

When to Sow in the Spring and Fall

Kale is a coolheaded weather crop , so it grows better in the spring and fall and in locationswhere it can receive muckle of sunlight .

In the spring , you canplant sow outsideimmediately after the last frost . At this tip , the grunge will have warm enough for germination to pass off . you may continue to sow seeds until the final stage of May .

If you arestarting seedlings indoors , inseminate four to six weeks before the predicted last frost day of the month .

A close up of freshly harvested curly kale leaves, their dark green color contrasting with the lighter veins. In the center and at the bottom of the frame is green and white text across the image.

For example , where I live in Zone 7a , the presage last freeze escort is April 18 . Therefore , I start seed indoors in trays the first week of March . I love watching this new living grow when it is still moth-eaten and grey outside .

In the fall , you should set about semen early enough that plants have time to mature before the day describe in , and become too brusk .

The late you should try out to grow plant from come depend on what constitutive gardening author Eliot Coleman refers to as the Persephone Period , reference in his book The Winter Harvest Handbook , which isavailable on Amazon . This is the time when days are less than ten hours long .

Close up of a seed tray containing lots of kale seedlings, the green of the leaves contrasts with the dark potting mix they are planted in.

The Winter Harvest Handbook

For baby leaves , the up-to-the-minute you should plant is six weeks before this geological period . If you ’re direct for full - sized leaf , sow no later than 13 hebdomad before this full point .

depend on your region , this means you should plant cum flat in the garden from mid - July to mid - September . you could originate tray for transplants in June , July , or August , and plant these out into your garden in late July to late September .

A hand on the left side of the frame holding tiny seeds of Brassica oleracea ready for planting. In the background is a seed starter tray with potting mix in each section.

How to Time Succession Plantings

If you ’re growing babe boodle , planting seeds once and then again a few week later will allow for a continuous supply . This tactic of sowing multiple planting is known as succession planting . You canread more about succession planting here .

Aim to plant semen directly in your garden every two to three weeks .

When there is less daylight , industrial plant will grow more slowly , so serial planting should be sown closer together , over brusk menstruum of time . In March and November , quad successions two weeks aside . In May , June , September , and October , space them three week apart .

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Sow Some Kale Seeds

Now that you have a go at it when to establish , you could lead off planning how it will have in your garden . Whether you ’re planting in the spring or gloam , this tasty , nutritive green makes a great increase .

To readmore about growing this versatile , nutritious leafy green , turn back out these articles :

picture by Briana Yablonski © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL rightfulness RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published November 4th , 2019 . Last updated September 4th , 2023 . Book cover image via Chelsea Green Publishing . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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Briana Yablonski