🥬 When to Plant Kale

When should I plant kale?

Plant kale outdoors 6 weeks before last frost. For a head start, start seeds indoors 6 weeks before your area's last frost date. Transplants can go out 4 weeks before last frost.

Is kale frost sensitive?

Kale can tolerate light frost, surviving temperatures as low as 20°F. This makes it a great candidate for early spring or fall planting when other crops can't go out yet.

What temperature does kale need?

Kale grows best between 40°F and 65°F. It can survive down to 20°F, but growth slows significantly below 40°F. It prefers cool weather and may bolt or stop producing if summer heat arrives early.

How long does kale take to grow?

Kale typically takes 55–75 days from transplant (or direct sow) to first harvest.

Should I start kale seeds indoors?

Yes — start kale seeds indoors 6 weeks before your area's last expected frost date. This gives seedlings time to develop strong roots before outdoor conditions are ready.

Is it too cold to plant kale?

It is too cold to plant Kale outdoors when nighttime temperatures are falling below 20°F. While Kale can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F, growth will be slow until nights consistently exceed 40°F. Use CanIPlant to check your local 7-day forecast and get a real-time answer for your ZIP code.

Is it too hot to plant kale?

Kale starts to struggle when temperatures climb above 65°F. As a cool-season crop, Kale is especially heat-sensitive — high temperatures cause bolting, bitter flavor, or complete crop failure. Avoid planting in the peak of summer and opt for spring or fall instead. CanIPlant checks your local forecast highs to flag this automatically.

Any tips for growing kale?

Frost improves flavor. Very cold hardy.