Kale crop sheet

Information sheet

Kale is a vegetable that has started to gain popularity due to it's superstar nutritional properties. It is easy to grow from seed and is harvested during the coldest months of the year.

  • School term: Late Autumn, Early Spring
  • Level of experience: No experience needed
  • Subject(s):

Sowing

When: March to June

  • There are many different types of kale with leaves that can be curly, flat, purple, white & green or the common dark green. 
  • It is best to sow the seeds in seed trays or modules. Once the seeds have germinated you will need to prick them out. Use our 'How to prick out seedlings into modules' guide to see how this is done. 
  • Once your kale seedlings have been transplanted they can be placed in a cold frame or on a cool windowsill. Remember to water them regularly.
  • Try to protect your seedlings from slugs and snails that like to eat the young leaves. If the seedlings are being grown indoors gradually harden them off before planting outside.
  • When the seedlings have 5-6 true leaves they are ready to plant out. Make holes 38-45cm apart and in rows 45-50 cm apart. Check your seed packet for planting distances as some kale varieties can vary, depending on their final plant size.
  • Ensure the first true leaves are level with the soil. This will bury part of the seedlings stem but will help the kale become a sturdier plant. Water the plants in well and continue to do so throughout the growing season. 

Growing 

  • Kale is a very thirsty plant so make sure you keep it well watered throughout the year, especially during the summer months. 
  • Kale likes growing in partially shaded light, so it is a good crop to grow in slightly shaded spots.  
  • To protect your kale plants from cabbage root fly buy brassica collars to deter the fly. These can be bought in garden centres, DIY stores or online. Alternatively you could use insect proof netting to cover your kale, crop rotation or try to encourage wildlife such as ground or rove beetles that are natural predators of the cabbage root fly. 
  • Pigeons and other birds may be interested in your kale crop. So you may need to protect them with netting or a fruit cage. This netting may also help prevent damage by Cabbage caterpillars.
  • When growing brassicas like kale, cabbages, radish and plants of the same family, it is good to ensure you grow seeds or buy plants that are club root resistant. Club root is a soil-dwelling micro-organism that causes massive swelling, distortion and severely hinders growth of the roots, which reduces the growth and yield of plants. Once your soil is infected the best way to overcome this is by using crop rotation and, where possible, reducing weeds that can spread club root. 

Harvesting

When: October to February

  • Always pick the young leaves as they are the most tender and tasty.
  • Always remove any flower shoots that appear on your kale.
  • Larger kale plants may need to be staked to prevent 'wind rock'. This happens as they tend to get top heavy with their large leaves so often get blown over. If you are planting kale in an exposed area, buy and plant dwarf varieties.

Using

  • Kale is a very nutritious vegetable and is often used in salads, soups, pasta dishes, stews or broths. You could try making kale crisps, a kale smoothie or kale pesto if you want to get experimental with your food.
  • To use up your kale and other spring greens, give TV Masterchef Greg Wallace's Chilli Green's recipe a go. 
  • Kale is a great treat for pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs, so why not put some leaves aside for them. 

Varieties to use

  • 'Redbor' - a kale with burgundy-coloured leaves that are deeply-crinkled. Winter hardy, it's a variety that produces tasty leaves throughout the winter months.
  • 'Nero di Toscana'  - a winter hardy, dark leaved kale that has almost black-green leaves. It can be eaten raw or cooked and is great in salads. 
  • 'Emerald Ice' - this is a very pretty kale with white and green ruffled leaves. It also tastes great with a sweet flavour and crisp texture. 
  • 'Midnight Sun' - a wonderful kale that looks good and taste delicious. Its red-pink veins that run through the green leaves are stunning. Its leaves are best eaten young in a stir-fry or in salads. 

Top Tips

  • Kale grows well in any soil but prefers well compacted, fertile loamy soil. One way to achieve this is to sow kale directly into the soil after another crop that has just been harvested. Be sure this is not another brassica e.g. cabbages or radish as this can spread diseases and pests such as club root and cabbage root fly.
  • Equipment you might need for sowing and growing kale; seed trays or module trays, a measuring stick, trowel, brassica collars, netting and posts.