All good recipes start with good ingredients and what better way than to have the best tasting food by growing your own.  Start by purchasing seeds from a reputable grower or maybe you even harvested your seeds from last year’s produce.  Either way, pay careful attention to any instructions on your seed package, making sure to get your seeds in the ground at the right time to produce your best harvest.  Here are some basic planting tips for your kale seeds…keeping in mind that not all kale matures in the same amount of time.

Planting tips

Rich soil promotes a faster growing and more tender crop, so be sure to enrich your soil with organic compost instead of spraying your plants with a commercial fertilizer. For Lacinato kale seeds (62 days to maturity); plant in early spring when soil temperatures are at least 60 degrees.  In mild climates (USDA zone 7 or warmer) you can also plant seeds in the fall for a winter or early spring crop.  For Curly Green (Scotch, “Dwarf Blue Curled”) & Red Winter kale seeds (50 days to maturity); sow seeds directly into soil 4 weeks prior to last expected frost or 10-12 weeks before first fall frost.

Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in rows 18″-24″ apart.  You will see sprouts in 10-14 days.  Plant in well drained soil with a lot of organic material.  Plant in full sun with ample watering for best results.  Thin plants when they are 1/2″ tall, thin to 10″ apart.  Fertilize monthly with fish emulsion or a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer.

For a sweeter fall-winter crop, broadcast seed at least six weeks before the first frost; rake to cover. Thin plants to 2 feet apart.  Late summer planting is recommended as kale tastes and grows the best during fall.  Kale plants can be overwintered outside (even in the north) – mulch thickly when ground freezes and you can harvest in early spring.

Harvest outer leaves as needed (kale can take a vigorous cutting); use young, tender leaves raw in salads and older leaves for cooking. Frost sweetens the taste of this vitamin and mineral packed green. Kale can thrive in semi-shade and in cloudy climates; hot weather can make it more tough and bitter.  Best kitchen storage tip is to remove stems from leaves right away (the kale will become more bitter the longer it is attached to the stems) wash leaves and store in a salad storage container for up to a week.

Companion planting

Marigolds (scented) are always a good trick for keeping pests out of the garden. Plant them thickly around the sides of the garden or throughout.

Mint is especially good at keeping cabbage pests and aphids away (kale is in the cabbage family) but because mint can easily take over your garden, set it in pots around your garden and make sure to keep it trimmed before it goes to seed.  Sweet basil will also repel aphids and won’t take over your garden, so it’s a good alternative to mint.

Thyme or tomato plants near your kale can also deter flea beetles, cabbage maggots, white cabbage butterflies and imported cabbageworms.

Above gardening information from Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, Botanical Interests‘ seed packets & years of personal gardening wisdom.