Kale

Brassica oleracea Acephala_ group

Kale is an excellent green vegetable for cold-weather cooking. It's best known as an attractive garnish, but the mild-flavor greens are also a highly nutritious addition to salads, stir-fries, steamed vegetable dishes, soups, and stews. Unlike so many other greens, they keep much of their shape even when cooked, adding texture to any dish.

Leaves may be blue-green, green, or burgundy in color, and ruffled, curly, deeply cut, or flat in form. Color and flavor improve with cool weather; plants can survive to 0 degrees F with protection.

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Light:

Part Sun, Sun

Type:

Vegetable

Height:

1 to 3 feet

Width:

12-36 inches wide

How to Grow Kale

Propagation

Seed

Learn how to grow this superfood easily in your garden.

Harvest Tips

Pick baby greens 20-30 days after seeding. Harvest mature leaves 30-40 days later. To keep a plant producing, harvest the outer leaves and allow the center to continue to grow. The tender central leaves are best for salads. Cook the larger, older leaves. Leaves will have their best flavor when growing conditions are cool and frosty.

garden plans for Kale

Planting Plans Inspired by the White House Kitchen Garden

more varieties for Kale

'Chidori Red' kale

Brassica oleracea 'Chidori Red' bears frilly leaves that provide brilliant color and sweet flavor. Dark outer leaves surround purplish-red central foliage.

'Dwarf Blue Curled Vates' kale

Brassica oleracea 'Dwarf Blue Curled Vates' offers finely curled bluish-green leaves on low-growing, compact plants. It's a highly ornamental addition to the vegetable garden.