When to plant kale in Bend and Redmond, OR

Start kale from seed indoors Mar 31 – Apr 14, then plant the young plants in the garden in Bend and Redmond May 12 – Jun 23.

Easy Plant young plants (starts)

Why these dates

Bend and Redmond's typical last spring frost is June 9. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop can go in about 4 weeks before that.

High desert and mountains. Central and high eastern Oregon. Frost is possible almost any month. Use row covers, wall-o-water or cloches for warm crops, and choose short-season varieties.

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

Step by step

Start seeds indoors Mar 31 – Apr 14 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.
Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
Plant them in the garden May 12 – Jun 23, 18 inches apart. Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot.
Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
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 here

Lacinato
Red Russian
Winterbor

Watch out for

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

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

Common questions

When is the last frost in Bend and Redmond, OR?

Typically June 9. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by June 26. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Redmond Roberts Field.

Is it too late to plant kale in Bend and Redmond?

The spring planting window runs through June 23. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.

When should I start kale from seed indoors in Bend and Redmond?

March 31 to April 14, which is 6 to 4 weeks before the May 12 planting date. Or buy young plants at a garden center instead.

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Also plant in Bend and Redmond around the same time

Planting dates for kale in nearby areas

Klamath Falls, OR May 12 – Jun 23
Burns, OR May 14 – Jun 25
Baker City, OR Apr 27 – Jun 8

Full planting calendar for Bend and Redmond · Kale in every city