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Repotting guide

When & how to repot Curly Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica 'Curly Kale')

Also called curly kale, Scots kale, common kale.

More about curly kale

About Curly Kale

Brassica oleracea var. sabellica 'Curly Kale' · also called curly kale, Scots kale · edible

Curly kale is a hardy leafy brassica with tightly ruffled, frilly leaves on an upright stem. Exceptionally cold-tolerant, it crops through autumn and winter and actually sweetens after frost. Grow in full sun in firm, fertile, alkaline-leaning soil, keep it well watered and netted against cabbage pests, and pick young leaves over a long season.

Mature size: 40-60 cm tall, up to 90 cm if left to overwinter; 45-60 cm spread

Watch for — Clubroot: Soil-borne disease swelling and distorting roots, stunting plants in acidic, wet ground. Lime the soil, improve drainage, rotate brassicas, and never compost infected roots.

How to tell curly kale needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For curly kale, watch for these signs:

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot curly kale

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Curly Kaleis grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Upright, non-heading biennial grown as a leafy annual; a single thick stem topped with a rosette of tightly curled leaves, picked from the bottom up over many months..

What size pot to step curly kale up to

Pot curly kale on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot curly kale

Pot curly kale on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting curly kale

  1. Pot on before it is root-bound. Check curly kale regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
  2. Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
  3. Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
  4. Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
  5. Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water curly kale in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for curly kale

Curly Kale wants firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5. Like all brassicas it wants firm, rich ground on the alkaline side; lime acidic soils to deter clubroot. Plenty of organic matter and firm planting prevent wind-rock on the tall stems. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting curly kale — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot curly kale?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for curly kale. Curly Kale is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does curly kale need?

Pot curly kale on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check. Use our pot size calculator to size it from the plant's current pot and root spread.

When is the best time of year to repot curly kale?

Pot curly kale on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Can you put curly kale straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing curly kale should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise curly kale after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting curly kale. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.

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