How to grow Kale in Australia
Grow in full sun in firm, fertile soil enriched with compost, spacing plants around 45cm apart. Water consistently for tender leaves and feed with a nitrogen-rich feed for strong growth.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 5 litres a week, watered every 2 days
- Spacing: 40 cm
- Time to harvest: 70 days
- Time to germinate: 10 days
- Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.5
- Frost tolerance: Frost hardy
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | February to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | February to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | February to August | Extended cool-season window; robust through Sydney winter; can plant June to July. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | March to September | Extend window: sow Mar to Jul (seed trays), transplant Apr to Aug. Frost-hardy; thrive in Melbourne winter. |
| Adelaide & SA | March to September | Mediterranean: avoid sowing Nov to Feb. Kale bolts in summer. Peak growing Mar to Sept. |
| Perth & WA | February to September | Trays from mid Feb in bright shade, plant out Mar to May, harvest through winter. Direct sow Mar to Sep. |
| Tasmania | September to February | Sow Sep to Feb. Dec to Feb sowings give the main autumn-winter crop. Frost sweetens the leaves. Superb in Tasmania. |
| Canberra & ACT | August to October, January to March | Sow Jan to Mar for winter kale; frost sweetens the leaves. Sow Aug to Oct for a spring crop. |
| North Queensland | May to August | Dry season only. Cool-season brassica; needs shade cloth even May to Aug in tropical heat. |
| Darwin & Top End | May to August | Dry season only. Cool-season brassica; needs shade cloth even May to Aug in tropical heat. |
Varieties
- Tuscan (Cavolo Nero)
- Red Russian
- Curly Kale (Dwarf Blue Scotch)
Companion planting
Good companions
Avoid planting near
Harvest and storage
Harvest tip
Pick outer leaves once they reach hand size, working from the bottom up. Snap or cut them at the stem and leave the central crown, and it keeps producing for months.
Storage
Fridge in a sealed bag, up to 5 days. Blanch and freeze well.