Why Kale Doesn’t Grow (and How to Fix It)
Kale is one of the toughest vegetables you can grow. It survives frost, crops right through winter and keeps producing leaves for months. So when your plants stay small, look ragged or seem to stop altogether, something is usually holding them back, and it's normally easy to spot once you know where to look.
Quick answer
Kale that isn't growing well is usually short of food or water, planted in loose soil, eaten by pests, or simply sown too late to get big before winter. It needs rich, firm soil, regular watering while young and protection from caterpillars and pigeons. Slow growth in late autumn and winter is normal, as kale grows very little in the cold and dark.
What's happening to your kale?
Plants small and slow, leaves pale: see "Hungry soil" and "Not enough water".
Plants wobbly or falling over: see "Loose soil".
Holes in the leaves: see "Caterpillars" and "Flea beetles".
Leaves stripped to the stalks: see "Pigeons".
Tiny white insects fly up when you touch the plant: see "Whitefly and aphids".
Plants wilt in warm weather, even when watered: see "Root problems".
Growth has stopped in winter: see "Cold and short days".
Plants are flowering in spring: see "Bolting".
Hungry soil
Kale is a leafy brassica and needs plenty of nutrients to keep producing leaves. In thin, poor soil, plants stay stunted and the leaves turn pale.
Fix it: before planting, dig in plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost. On poor soil, or for kale in containers, the RHS suggests a nitrogen-rich feed to give plants a boost. Our soil guide has more on getting beds ready.
Loose soil
Brassicas like firm ground. In loose, fluffy soil, tall kale plants rock in the wind, their roots can't anchor properly and growth suffers. Large varieties may even topple over.
Fix it: firm the soil well before planting by treading it down, and plant young kale a little deeper than it was in its pot. Firm the soil around each plant after planting. Tall varieties may need a stake over winter.
Not enough water
Young kale plants need regular watering to get established. Dry soil early on stunts growth, and plants may never fully catch up.
Fix it: for the first few weeks after sowing or planting, don't let the ground dry out. Mature plants have deeper roots and usually manage on rainfall, except in long dry spells. Kale in pots needs checking far more often. See how often to water kale
Sown too late
Kale needs time to build up a good-sized plant before the cold weather slows it down. Plants sown late in summer may still be small when winter arrives.
Fix it: sow from March to June and plant out in late spring or early summer. See when to plant kale in the UK
Not enough light
Kale copes with a little shade but grows best in an open, sunny spot. In deep shade, plants are slow, leggy and less productive.
Fix it: move containers to a brighter position, and next year plant kale where it gets sun for most of the day.
Caterpillars
The caterpillars of cabbage white butterflies can strip kale leaves in a few days in summer. Look for holes in the leaves and green or yellow-and-black caterpillars underneath.
Fix it: cover plants with fine insect-proof mesh on hoops from planting, making sure it doesn't touch the leaves. Check under leaves and pick off eggs and caterpillars by hand.
Pigeons
In autumn and winter, pigeons can strip kale to bare stalks, especially when other food is scarce.
Fix it: keep plants covered with netting or mesh supported on canes or hoops. If pigeons are a problem in your area, leave it on all year round.
Flea beetles
These tiny beetles jump when disturbed and make lots of small, round holes in the leaves of young plants, which can slow their growth.
Fix it: keep young plants well watered, as flea beetles prefer dry conditions, and cover them with fine mesh. Established plants usually outgrow the damage.
Whitefly and aphids
Clouds of tiny white flies, or clusters of grey, waxy aphids on the undersides of leaves, weaken plants and make leaves sticky.
Fix it: wash them off with a jet of water, remove badly affected leaves and keep plants growing strongly. Kale usually tolerates a light infestation.
Root problems
If plants wilt on warm days even though the soil is moist, and stay small, dig one up and look at the roots.
Swollen, distorted roots: a sign of clubroot, a disease in the soil that affects all brassicas. It's worse in acidic, poorly drained soil. There's no cure, so remove affected plants and avoid growing brassicas in that spot. Next time, grow plants on in pots until they have strong roots before planting out. Adding lime to acidic soil can help reduce it.
Small white maggots feeding on the roots: cabbage root fly. Protect young plants with fine mesh or a collar around the base of the stem.
Cold and short days
Kale is extremely hardy, but it grows very little from late autumn to late winter. This is normal and not a sign of a problem.
Fix it: nothing to do. Pick sparingly through winter, and plants will put on fresh growth in early spring.
Bolting
In spring, kale planted the previous year naturally starts to flower. This is the end of its life cycle rather than a fault.
Fix it: pick the young flower shoots before they open. They're tender and delicious, a bit like sprouting broccoli. Then remove the plants and sow fresh kale.
Kale in containers
Kale grows well in large pots, but plants run out of water and nutrients more quickly than those in the ground. Use a large container, water regularly and feed occasionally. See growing kale in containers
The complete guide is how to grow kale in the UK. If other crops are struggling too, read why vegetables aren't growing
Common questions
Why is my kale not growing?
Usually because of poor soil, dry soil while the plants are young, loose ground or pest damage. Kale also grows very little in winter, which is normal.
Why does my kale have holes in the leaves?
Larger holes are usually caused by caterpillars of cabbage white butterflies, and tiny round holes by flea beetles. Cover plants with fine insect-proof mesh to keep both off.
Does kale grow in winter?
Kale survives winter well and can be picked through the cold months, but it grows very slowly until spring.
Why is my kale flowering?
Kale naturally flowers in its second spring. Pick and eat the young flower shoots, then replace the plants with a fresh sowing.
Sowing, spacing and pest advice based on RHS guidance.