Kale planting calendar
When to plant kale — pick your state
Kale timing swings hard by climate — choose your state for sow, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to its USDA zone and frost window.
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific
Common questions
When should I plant kale?
Kale is among the hardiest brassicas, surviving temperatures as low as −12 °C (10 °F) in protected conditions; frost sweetens the leaves by converting starches to sugars. Transplant or direct-sow 4–6 weeks before last spring frost; can also be direct-sown. For fall/winter harvest, direct-sow or transplant 6–8 weeks before first autumn frost. Avoid planting when temperatures consistently exceed 27 °C (80 °F) as heat reduces palatability and increases bitterness. Harvest outer leaves continuously to extend production; the plant does not form a head and can be harvested over many months. Because the right window depends on your local frost dates, pick your US state above for a calendar with exact sow, transplant, and harvest dates.
Does the best time to plant kale vary by state?
Yes — planting dates swing by several weeks across the US because each state sits in a different USDA zone with its own frost window. Every state page here gives kale dates calibrated to that state's climate.
How are these kale planting dates calculated?
Each state's dates come from that state's dominant USDA hardiness zone and NOAA average frost dates, then adjusted for kale's cold tolerance and days to maturity.