Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group)
13 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Sow
- Early March to late June
- Plant out
- Mid April to late July
- Ready in
- 50–55 days
- Site
- 4+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–6.5
- Biggest risk
- Club root
In the UK, kale are sown early March to late June, planted out mid April to late July, and are ready to harvest 50–55 days after sowing.
Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) — biennial for most varieties, cropping until they flower in their second year.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional planting out windows, ranging from mid April in southern England to mid May further north.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Watch: Growing Kale at Home
A quick SoilCommander video on growing kale at home in the UK.
Regional Planting Calendar
| Region | Sow | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Southern England | early March to late June | mid April to late July |
| Midlands derived | mid March to late June | early May to late July |
| Northern England derived | early April to mid June | mid May to mid July |
| Scotland derived | early April to early June | late May to early July |
Rows marked derived are interpolated between regions our sources do state, because no source we consulted gives a figure for that region specifically. They are deliberately wider to reflect that uncertainty.
Southern England - detail & sources
Southern England (RHS baseline): sow indoors from March, outdoors March-June; transplant mid-April to end July once seedlings are 10-15cm tall (~6 weeks post-sow). Net immediately against cabbage caterpillars/root fly/pigeons; sweetens after frost.
Midlands - detail & sources
Midlands: sowing window starts ~2 weeks later and ends ~1 week earlier than Southern England, reflecting a shorter frost-free season (Met Office regional climate normals, south-to-north UK gradient). Transplant ~6 weeks after sowing, early May to late July.
Northern England - detail & sources
Northern England: sowing window starts ~1 month later than Southern England and ends earlier, reflecting a later last-frost date and shorter growing season (Met Office regional climate normals). Transplant mid-May to mid-July.
Scotland - detail & sources
Scotland: the latest and narrowest sowing/transplant window of the four UK regions, reflecting the latest last-frost dates and shortest frost-free season nationally (Met Office regional climate normals). Kale''s exceptional hardiness (to about -5C) still makes it one of the most reliable winter crops this far north.
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 6.5 |
| Sunlight | 4-4 hours direct sun |
| Optimal growing temp | 15-22C |
| Minimum survivable temp | -5C |
| Time to harvest | 50-55 days |
| Soil texture | RHS: "Kale prefers rich, well-drained, firm soil, but will grow in most soil types and conditions". |
| Drainage | RHS: well-drained, firm soil; "Kale likes sun, but will also cope in light shade". Utah State: a "sunny location". |
| Lifecycle | biennial for most varieties, cropping until they flower in their second year; a few perennial heirloom varieties exist |
| Edible parts | leaves |
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing & Establishment | 0 | Sow indoors from March onwards in modular trays, or outdoors March to June in shallow drills, at a PLANTING DEPTH of 1cm (RHS). Sow thinly in a seedbed 10-15cm apart and thin to the same spacing, or direct-sow three seeds every 45cm and thin to the strongest seedling per station; for cut-and-come-again salad crops, sow more thickly at roughly 7.5cm spacing (RHS). Transplant out in late spring/early summer once seedlings reach 10-15cm tall, SPACING mature plants 30-60cm apart depending on variety with a minimum of 45cm between rows (RHS). Dig in well-rotted manure or garden compost before planting; kale "prefers rich, well-drained, firm soil, but will grow in most soil types and conditions" (RHS). |
| Vegetative Growth & Transplanting | 3 | Net plants immediately after transplanting with fine-mesh insect-proof netting supported on hoops or canes to keep off cabbage caterpillars, birds/pigeons and cabbage root fly (RHS) -- young transplants are most vulnerable to root fly and flea beetle at this stage. Water regularly while plants establish so the soil does not dry out; once established, kale generally needs watering only during prolonged dry spells (RHS). Feeding "isn''t usually needed, except on poor soils or when growing in containers" -- apply a nitrogen-rich organic fertiliser if needed (RHS). |
| Leaf Development | 7 | Plants bulk up into a rosette of leaves on a thickening central stem, growing to 30-90cm tall depending on variety -- kale does not form a head, unlike cabbage. Keep netting in place and check under it regularly for cabbage caterpillars, flea-beetle peppering on young leaves, and mealy cabbage aphid colonies on the growing points, which can distort growth and make leaves inedible (RHS). Continue watering during dry spells; once well established, kale copes with dry conditions much better than most brassicas. |
| Harvest — Cut-and-Come-Again | 8 | Begin picking mature plants from September onwards, taking two or three of the lower leaves from each plant at a time (RHS); regular picking encourages more leaves to grow, and the whole rosette can also be cut to resprout. Kale is fully hardy (killing temperature around -5C, FAO EcoCrop) and can be picked right through winter into early spring; a spell of frost is widely held to sweeten the flavour. Biennial plants bolt and flower the following spring if left in the ground -- pull and compost once cropping finishes, or, for perennial heirloom types such as ''Daubenton''s'' and ''Taunton Deane'', leave in place to keep cropping for several years (RHS). |
Harvest & Storage
Diseases
Pests
Kale, Sowing to Cut-and-Come-Again
References
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Tier 1. Primary UK source: sowing depth/spacing, transplanting, watering, feeding, netting, cut-and-come-again harvesting, varieties, common problems list.
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Tier 1. US extension source: days to maturity by cultivar, watering rate, storage temperature/humidity/duration.
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Tier 1. US extension source: soil pH range, sunlight tolerance.
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Tier 1. Host-specific: vegetable brassicas incl. Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers; kale shares the same species.
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Tier 1. US extension source explicitly naming kale as one of the crops black rot is "most severe" on.
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Tier 1. US extension corroboration for black rot pathogen ID (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) in cole crops.
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Tier 1. Host-specific: "All edible brassicas"; 5-species complex, generations/season, active period.
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Tier 1. Host-specific: cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels sprout and other brassicas; kills seedling/recently transplanted brassicas.
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Tier 1. Host-specific: feeds on leaves of all brassicas and related plants.
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Tier 1. Host-specific: only found on cabbages and other brassicas; explicitly can make kale inedible.
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Tier 1. Native range: Atlantic/Mediterranean coasts of GB, France, Spain (sea cliffs).
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Tier 1. EPPO code for the species Brassica oleracea.
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Tier 1. Optimal temperature 15-22C, killing temp during rest -5C, confirming exceptional cold hardiness.
13 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant kale out in the UK?
In southern England, from mid April. In northern England and Scotland, wait until mid May. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to plant out only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow kale?
Sow early March to late June.
How long do kale take to grow?
Typically 50–55 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do kale need?
A pH of about 6–6.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect kale?
Our data links 2 diseases and 4 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
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Tools That Help With This Crop
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Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.