Growing Instructions for Kale

Season: 

Summer and Winter 

Kale is part of the Brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc.) and is a cool weather crop and therefore grown in winter. But Kale can also be grown in summer as it is not as prone to aphid infestations as broccoli and cauliflower during the summer months. 

 

Position: 

Semi-shade (summer) and full sun (winter) 

In winter, Kale can be planted in full sun, but in summer, it should be grown in semi-shade or under a 30% or 40% shade netting. 

 

Soil ph: 

Between 6 and 7 

 

Watering needs: 

In summer, water regularly – at least 3 times a week. In winter, once or twice a week should be sufficient. 

 

Possible pests & problems: 

Powdery Mildew (very rare) 

Aphids (mostly during mid-summer) 

 

Maintenance & Extras: 

Kale is quite easy to grow but does like a good fertilizer at least once a month. Some Kale varieties grow very tall and need staking. 

Birds love kale! So, bird netting will be needed 

 

Additional fertilizers: 

Foliar feed (once a month) 

Root feed (once a month) 

 

Harvest: 

You can wait for your plant to fully mature before you harvest, or you can start harvesting individual leaves when the plant reaches about 30 to 40 cm in height. Always pick the outer leaves first, as the new leaves form from the middle of the plant. 

 

Cultivars: 

Kale is part of the Brassica family. In simple terms, kale is like a cabbage but grows upright instead of growing into a round cabbage head. Kale offers a wide variety of flavours, some are more spicy, others more sweet, and usually slightly bitter. There are many different Kale varieties. Tuscan Kale (also called Dinosaur Kale, Black Palm Kale or Black Magic) is a favourite for soups and stews and Red Russian Kale (also called Ragged Jack) is a sweeter Kale. Dwarf Siberian Kale is more tender and perfect for salads and sandwiches. Scarlet Kale with deep blue-purple leaves is delicious both raw and cooked. Other varieties are Curly Kale (or Blue Vates), Chou Mouillier Kale, 

Premier Kale, Red Ursa Kale, etc. (but there are many more varieties with amazing colours and flavours!) 

 

General: 

Some Kale varieties are best grown in autumn, winter and/or spring, as they prefer cool temperatures and will easily get infested with aphids during the hot summer months. Other Kale varieties, like Tuscan Kale and Chou Mouillier Kale, can be grown in summer, but it is still advised to use shade-netting or plant these in semi-shade (morning sun, afternoon shade). 

Kale can be grown in containers of at least 30 cm deep. 

Kale can be planted with lettuce, dill, marigolds, radish, garlic, onions, carrots, cucumber, spinach, celery, beetroot, chives and artichokes. Don’t plant near strawberries or tomatoes.