In the UK, sow kale indoors March–May or direct outdoors April–June, transplant to final positions June–July, and harvest from October through to the following April — one of the hardiest, longest-cropping brassicas.
A quick SoilCommander video on growing kale at home in UK conditions — sowing, spacing, care and harvest in under a minute.
Last updated 4 July 2026
How to Grow Kale UK
The most nutritious, most cold-hardy, and arguably most underrated vegetable in the British kitchen garden.
Not sure when to sow? See our When to Plant Kale UK →
When to Sow Kale
Sow kale in modules or trays from February to June. March–April is the ideal window for most UK gardeners, giving plants time to establish before autumn. The RHS recommends planting out from June to July, 45–60cm apart, once seedlings are 10–15cm tall.
UK Sowing & Harvest Timeline
| Stage | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sow indoors | March–May | Modules or seed trays at 10–16°C; germination 7–14 days |
| Sow outdoors | Apr–Jun | Direct sow or into a seedbed for later transplanting |
| Plant out | Jun–Jul | When 10–15cm tall; 45–60cm spacings; water in well |
| First harvest | Oct–Nov | Begin picking outer leaves before the main winter season |
| Main harvest | Nov–Apr | Harvest throughout winter and into early spring |
Top UK Kale Varieties
Dwarf Green Curled
The classic UK allotment kale. Compact (45–60cm), very hardy, with tightly curled leaves. AGM winner. Reliable across all regions.
Cavolo Nero
Italian ‘black cabbage’ with dark, blistered leaves and rich, slightly sweet flavour. Harvest from the bottom up; plants keep producing through winter.
Red Russian
Flat, deeply lobed leaves with red-purple stems. Milder and more tender than curly kale. Best harvested young as baby leaves or when mature in autumn.
Redbor F1
Striking purple-red curly kale. Highly ornamental and fully edible. Flavour improves after frost. Good for autumn and winter harvests.
Planting and Growing
Kale prefers a firm seedbed — loose planting produces floppy plants that blow over in winter. Firm the soil with your boot before planting and earth up around the base of stems to provide stability. Kale is a heavy feeder; a balanced feed in summer and a high-nitrogen feed in early autumn supports strong winter growth. Stake tall varieties in exposed positions.
Pests and Diseases
Caterpillars (cabbage white): Cover plants with fine mesh netting May–September. Check undersides of leaves for yellow egg clusters. Pick off caterpillars by hand.
Pigeons: A serious winter pest. Net plants from autumn, especially in areas with large pigeon populations.
Aphids (cabbage aphid): Mealy grey aphids in tight clusters on growing tips and undersides of leaves. Blast off with water, spray with soapy water, or remove affected tips.
Clubroot: Rotate brassicas every 3–4 years and lime soil to pH 7.0+ to prevent this persistent soil disease.
Harvesting Kale
Begin harvesting outer leaves from October, working from the bottom of the plant upward. Never strip a plant completely — leaving the growing centre and upper leaves intact allows the plant to continue producing through winter. Regular picking stimulates new growth. Younger leaves are more tender and less bitter; baby kale can be harvested 4–6 weeks after transplanting. Flavour is consistently improved by frost — the plant converts starches to sugars as a frost response.
Regional Tips
Regional Planting Notes
The RHS notes kale's hardy nature makes it valuable "in winter, providing fresh leaves during the coldest months" right across the UK. In Scotland and northern England, focus on curled varieties that shed snow, and delay outdoor sowing by about 2 weeks versus the south — consistent with the Met Office's finding that spring frost risk lingers longest in the north.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planting too closely. Wide spacing is crucial for light and airflow — cramped kale is far more prone to fungal disease.
- Skipping insect-proof mesh. Without it, kale is vulnerable to caterpillars, flea beetles, cabbage root fly and pigeons all season.
- No support for tall varieties. Autumn winds can loosen the roots of top-heavy plants left unstaked.
Plan Your Winter Crops
The SoilCommander UK Vegetable Garden Planner includes month-by-month guides for kale, leeks, Brussels sprouts, and all your winter crops. Browse the soil & plant care range, or plan your full season with the UK Vegetable Garden Planner PDF
Get the Garden PlannerFrequently Asked Questions
When should I sow kale for a winter harvest?
Sow kale from March to April for the main winter harvest season. Plants need time to establish before autumn — sowing too late means smaller plants with lower yields. June–July sowings can still produce useful spring crops.
Is kale easy to grow for beginners?
Yes. Kale is one of the hardiest and most reliable vegetables in the UK kitchen garden. It tolerates cold, some drought, and neglect better than most crops. The main challenge is protecting plants from caterpillars and pigeons.
Why is my kale covered in grey-green insects?
Cabbage aphids — a specific species that forms dense, mealy-grey colonies on kale and other brassicas. Blast off with water, spray with insecticidal soap, or remove heavily infested growing tips. Natural predators (ladybirds, lacewings) usually keep them under control by midsummer.
Does kale taste better after frost?
Yes. Cold temperatures cause kale to convert stored starches to sugars, making the leaves noticeably sweeter and more tender. Many gardeners deliberately delay harvesting until after the first frost for best flavour.
Browse sowing dates for all crops in the UK vegetable planting calendar or explore all UK vegetable growing guides.
Last updated 4 July 2026
Tools That Help With This Crop
Use these links when the guide moves from reading into sowing, planting, watering, and keeping the crop healthy.
Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.