Sun Recommendations for Planting Kale

06.06.2023 - 20:38 / gardenerspath.com / Kristina HicksHamblin

Kale is really a must for the backyard vegetable garden. Growing this veggie at home makes it easy to have a nutrient-dense green on hand, right outside your back door.

To make sure you have a steady supply of this cruciferous vegetable, you’ll want to grow it in the best conditions – which, of course, includes knowing how much sun to provide it with.

As with most of the important questions in life, this one doesn’t have an easy answer. How much sun this member of the Brassicaceae family will need will depend on your growing conditions. If you’re new to growing kale, check out our full growing guide.

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So, I’ll offer you sun recommendations for various different situations, and your efforts to grow this superfood at home should be met with success.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

Kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, is a cool weather plant – it grows best and will produce plenty of fresh green leaves when the temperature is under 75°F.

Due to these requirements, it is typically grown in spring or fall throughout all USDA Hardiness Zones. In Zones 7-10, it will even continue growing through the winter.

When grown for a spring or fall harvest, this veggie should be placed in a full sun location. This will give it the environment it needs to produce an abundance of leaves.

You can plant it in partial shade during spring and fall, but it will likely produce smaller yields. This may be preferable if you live in a climate with hot spring or fall temperatures.

However, you might want to sacrifice some of your spring growth if you want to harvest these leafy greens