#Kale seedlings full

Once the seedling is several inches tall and it has around 5 leaves, you can begin the transplanting process. You can add mulch around the base of the plant as well. Your little kale plant will now use photosynthesis to absorb as much energy from the sun as it can to continue growing and developing.ĭuring this stage, the little seedlings need moist soil to develop high and strong roots. You’ll know germination has been successful once the small leaves start to emerge above the soil’s surface. You will notice that the center of the plant has smaller new leaves, while there are larger kale leaves on the outside. Your seeds will begin to sprout after 5 to 8 days, and you will soon see the first leaves (also referred to as cotyledons) that will eventually turn into true leaves on your new plant.

If there is no growth after two weeks of planting the seeds, there is something wrong so you should repeat the process. Seeds sown directly in the ground will need 55 to 75 days to mature, while those started indoors need to be ready for harvesting in about 30 to 40 days, though this can vary between different kale varieties. However, if the growing conditions are optimal - that is, if you have well-draining, loamy soil rich in organic nutrients, then the seeds will probably need around 5 days to germinate.īefore planting the seeds, you can immerse them in tepid water for about 24 hours to speed up the process. We mentioned that the seeds germinate better in warm soil, which means that seeds started indoors will germinate a lot quicker. You can also consider planting them near sunflowers because they are great companion plants! 2.

#Kale seedlings full

Please note that spring crops should be planted in a location where they are exposed to full sun, while crops planted in warm weather should be kept in partial shade. Use row covers to protect your veggies from light frost damage. However, I would suggest you do it a week or two after the frost or ten weeks before the first frost of the next season if you are planting fall crops. The seeds can germinate in cool soil as well, so you can also sow them directly in the ground. If you are planting the seeds in the early spring, you can start them indoors a few weeks before the last frost date and then transplant them once the soil temperatures have risen because the seeds germinate the best in warm soil. What’s also great is that you can plant kale seeds both in early spring and early fall. However, it’s always better to start the seeds indoors in order to prevent frost damage, and then transplant your little kale plants to a different location. Planting The SeedsĪs they can make it through the cool season weather, you can sow kale seeds directly in the ground instead of starting them inside or growing your kale in a greenhouse. The kale growing stages include planting the seeds and seed germination, along with sprouting and growing into little seedlings, then developing until the plant has reached maturity and is ready for harvesting and making delicious salads! However, there are still some varieties of kale that are grown as annuals.

Kale is a cool-weather crop grown as a biennial plant, which means that it needs two years to complete its life cycle.