When to Harvest Kale
Quick answer:
Kale is ready to start picking from September and keeps cropping through winter into spring. Pick two or three of the lowest leaves from each plant at a time, and always leave the top of the plant growing. Picked this way, one plant can give you fresh leaves for six months or more. Kale grown for salad leaves can be picked much sooner, once plants are 10–15 cm tall.
Most crops give you one harvest. Kale gives you a long series of small ones. The plant grows upwards from its centre, producing new leaves at the top as you take older ones from the bottom. As long as you leave that growing tip alone, it keeps going all winter.
When kale is ready
Kale sown between March and June is usually ready to start picking from September. From then on you can pick right through autumn and winter and into the following spring.
Mature plants: start once the plant is well established with plenty of full-size leaves, and the lower leaves are a size you'd want to cook with.
Baby salad leaves: start as soon as the plants are 10–15 cm tall.
If your plants are still small in autumn, see why kale doesn't grow
For sowing times, see when to plant kale in the UK
How to pick kale so it keeps growing
Start at the bottom. Take the lowest healthy leaves first. These are the oldest and largest.
Take two or three leaves per plant. Pick lightly from several plants rather than stripping one.
Snap or cut cleanly. Pull each leaf down and away from the stem so it snaps off, or cut it close to the stem with a sharp knife.
Leave the top alone. The tuft of small leaves at the top is where new growth comes from. Take it, and the plant stops producing.
Clear away yellow leaves. Remove any old yellowing leaves at the base as you go, so air can move around the plant.
Over the winter, the plant turns into a tall stem with bare leaf scars and a head of fresh leaves at the top. That's exactly what it should look like.
How often to pick
Regular picking encourages the plant to keep producing, so in autumn you can pick every week or so. In the coldest months growth slows right down, so pick more lightly and give plants time to replace what you take. Growth picks up again as the days lengthen in late winter.
Picking baby kale leaves
For salad kale sown close together, you can either:
Pick individual leaves from several plants, taking the larger ones and leaving the small ones to grow, or
Cut the whole rosette a little above the base. The stump usually re-sprouts for a second cut.
Harvesting kale in winter
Kale is fully hardy and keeps cropping through frost and snow. Pick on a milder day if you can, when the leaves have thawed, as frozen leaves bruise easily. Tall plants can be rocked by winter winds, so check stakes and ties when you're out picking.
Harvesting kale in containers
Pot-grown kale is picked the same way, but compact plants have fewer leaves, so take just one or two per visit. Plants in containers also dry out faster, so keep an eye on watering between pickings. For more, see growing kale in containers and how often to water kale
When the harvest ends
Most kale is biennial. In spring, after its first winter, the plant starts to send up flower stems and the leaves become smaller and tougher. That's your signal to finish picking and clear the plant. Add leaves to the compost heap, but bin the roots if your soil has had clubroot.
Preparing kale after picking
Rinse kale well, checking the undersides of the leaves for aphids, whitefly or small caterpillars, especially in autumn. Strip the leaves from the tough central stalk before cooking. Kale is at its best used soon after picking, which is one of the advantages of taking a few leaves at a time.
For the whole growing season, see how to grow kale in the UK. For another crop to harvest through the winter, see when to harvest leeks and vegetables that grow all year round
Common questions
What month is kale ready to harvest in the UK?
Kale sown in spring is usually ready from September. You can keep picking through autumn and winter until the plants flower the following spring.
How do you pick kale so it keeps growing?
Take two or three of the lowest leaves from each plant at a time and never remove the top of the plant. New leaves keep forming at the top all winter.
Can you harvest kale in frost?
Yes. Kale is fully hardy and crops through frost and snow. Try to pick on a milder day, as frozen leaves bruise easily.
How long does a kale plant keep producing?
From September until the following spring, often six months or more. It stops once the plant starts flowering in its second year.
Harvest times and picking method based on RHS guidance.