Rainline Garden

When to plant kale in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Start kale from seed indoors Feb 1–15, then plant the young plants in the garden Mar 15 – Apr 26. For a fall harvest, plant again Aug 6–20. In Bend: May 12 – Jun 23. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
18 inches apart
Planting depth
Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot
Frost
Handles light frost
First harvest
About 60 days after planting

One of the best crops for Northwest winters; frost sweetens the leaves.

Kale planting dates by city

CityStart seeds indoorsPlant in the gardenPlant again for fall
Astoria, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Baker City, ORMar 16–30Apr 27 – Jun 8Jul 7–21
Bend and Redmond, ORMar 31 – Apr 14May 12 – Jun 23—
Burns, ORApr 2–16May 14 – Jun 25—
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Eugene, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Gresham, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Klamath Falls, ORMar 31 – Apr 14May 12 – Jun 23Jul 10–24
Medford, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Pendleton, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Portland, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Roseburg, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Salem, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
The Dalles, ORFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Wilsonville and Canby, ORFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Bellingham, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Ellensburg, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Jul 29 – Aug 12
Everett, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Forks, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Moses Lake, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Jul 30 – Aug 13
Olympia, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 5–19
Omak and Okanogan, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Jul 29 – Aug 12
Seattle and Tacoma, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Spokane, WAMar 4–18Apr 15 – May 27Aug 3–17
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 2–16
Vancouver, WAFeb 1–15Mar 15 – Apr 26Aug 6–20
Walla Walla, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Wenatchee, WAFeb 18 – Mar 4Apr 1 – May 13Aug 6–20
Yakima, WAFeb 27 – Mar 13Apr 10 – May 22Jul 26 – Aug 9

How to grow kale

  1. Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
  2. Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
  3. Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 18 inches apart. Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot.
  4. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
  5. Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
  6. Harvest: Pick the lower leaves and let the top keep growing. Plants often produce from fall through spring west of the Cascades.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Cabbage worms and aphids. Row cover keeps the white cabbage moths from laying eggs.

More cabbage family

See all 51 plants