Kale
Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
Vegetables Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
A nutritional powerhouse among leafy greens, kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, plus calcium and antioxidants. Its curly or smooth leaves become sweeter after frost. Available in green, purple, and red varieties, kale is a cold-hardy biennial grown as an annual that tolerates light frost.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
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Light
Full sun (6-8 hrs)
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Water
Every 2-3 days
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Humidity
Moderate (50-65%)
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Temperature
10-24°C
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Soil
Rich, well-draining loamy soil with high organic matter; pH 5.5-6.5
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Fertilizer
Nitrogen-rich fertilizer at planting; side-dress every 3-4 weeks during growing season
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Eastern Mediterranean, Asia Minor
- 📏 Max height
- 30-90 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-60 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green, Purple
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Biennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic; all parts edible. Contains oxalates — moderate consumption for those with kidney stones
- 🌱 Propagation
- Direct sow seeds 1 cm deep in early spring or late summer; or start indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic; all parts edible. Contains oxalates — moderate consumption for those with kidney stones
Common issues
- Aphid and cabbage worm infestations, Bolting in extended heat, Clubroot in acidic soils
💡 Care tips
- Nutrient-dense superfood that tastes sweeter after frost,Harvest outer leaves first and the center continues producing,Grow in rich soil with plenty of organic matter,Pest-resistant but watch for cabbage worms and aphids
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 3 days, fertilizing every 25 days.
