Crop fact sheet · Cool season
Kale
Not in season right now in Houston. Dates below.
Your dates in Houston
| Window | Order seed by | Start indoors | Plant | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Aug 26 | — | Sep 16 – Oct 14 | from Nov 5 |
| Spring 2027 | Dec 14 | — | Jan 4 – Feb 1 | from Feb 23 |
| Fall 2027 | Aug 26 | — | Sep 16 – Oct 14 | from Nov 5 |
Worked out from AgriLife planting windows (days before/after average frost) and Houston's average frost dates. "Order seed by" is our own 3-week heads-up, not an AgriLife date.
The numbers
- How to plant
- Sow seed or set transplants 0.5" deep, 12" apart, rows 18" apart.
- Days to harvest
- 50–80 days
- Yield per 10 ft of row
- 10 lb
- Replant every
- 10 days for a steady harvest
- Keeps producing
- about 8.6 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Family
- Brassicaceae (for rotation)
Water
Water thoroughly once a week and don't let plants wilt; water more often in hot weather or light soils, soaking the soil deeply.
Feeding
- At planting: Work compost 6-8 inches deep plus 1 cup of 15-5-10 per 10 feet of row.
- About 30 days after emergence: Scatter 15-5-10 (or 1/4-1/3 cup organic fertilizer) beside the plants per 10 feet of row and water thoroughly.
Not sure what your soil needs? Get a soil test first.
Texas heat
Greens stop producing in hot weather; plant in early spring or fall so harvest happens in cool weather.
Pests to watch
- aphids
- leaf miners
- cabbage loopers
Diseases
- leaf spots
What to do about them: pest sheet · what's wrong with my plant?
When it's ready
Pick the lower leaves as they mature (6-10 inches long, before they yellow); the plant keeps growing.
Storing it
Wash and chill immediately.
Texas tips
- AgriLife table (listed with collards): plant 2-6 weeks before the last spring frost and 8-12 weeks before the first fall freeze.
- Kale tolerates temperatures below freezing and can be grown through the winter in many Texas areas.
- Plant short rows 10-14 days apart to spread out the harvest.
Varieties that do well in Texas
Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Dwarf Blue Curled Vates, Green Curled, Nero di Toscano (Lacinato), Rebor, Red Russian