Cool-season produce

Kale

Brassica oleracea Acephala Group

Harvest lower leaves as the plant grows. Watch cabbage loopers and aphids; leaves become tougher in hot spring weather.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyBrassicaceae (mustard)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSeptember–December.

How to plantDirect sow or transplant into cooler fall weather.

Plant spacing12–18 in

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 60–90 days

SuccessionOne established planting gives repeated pickings.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestPick leaves repeatedly through winter and early spring.

Right plant, right place

Will Kale grow at your Arizona property?

Harvest lower leaves as the plant grows. Watch cabbage loopers and aphids; leaves become tougher in hot spring weather.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.