Smooth
Premier Kale is a high-yielding, leafy green brassica cultivar bred for both productivity and culinary versatility. Unlike the intensely crinkled varieties that dominate seed catalogs, Premier produces broad, less-frilly leaves that work equally well in salads, soups, stir-fries, and as crispy kale chips. Growing in just 30 to 60 days (sources vary slightly on exact timing), it thrives in zones 5 through 10 with full sun exposure and adapts well to container growing, making it accessible whether you have a sprawling garden bed or a small patio.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-10
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
Moderate
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Premier Kale delivers a large, manageable leaf structure that harvests faster and more conveniently than its highly textured cousins. The broad foliage makes it exceptionally practical for wraps and juicing, while the mild, approachable flavor keeps it from overwhelming delicate salads or refined dishes. Its hybrid vigor as a kale-collard cross gives it a gentler character than pure kale varieties, and its nutrient density rivals any leafy green you can grow.
Premier Kale shines across multiple preparations. Use it fresh in salads where its broad leaves provide satisfying substance without the aggressive bitterness of heirloom varieties. It transforms into delicate wraps for grain bowls or raw applications, excels when juiced for its high vitamin content, and crisps beautifully into addictive kale chips when tossed with oil and roasted. The leaves work wonderfully in soups and stir-fries too, maintaining their structure through cooking without becoming tough or unpalatable.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost for a summer harvest, or 8 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost for an autumn crop. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix, keep the soil at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and expect germination in 7 to 14 days. Keep seedlings under bright light once sprouted to prevent legginess.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant when soil temperature reaches at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and plants have 3 to 4 true leaves. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows spaced 24 inches apart. Plant slightly deeper than their cell depth to encourage a stronger root system.
Direct sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in the garden bed once soil is workable in spring or 10 to 12 weeks before your first fall frost. Sow seeds every 2 inches along the row, then thin seedlings to 24-inch spacing once they develop true leaves.
Begin harvesting outer leaves once plants reach 8 to 12 inches tall, typically 30 to 60 days after planting depending on conditions and whether you started from seed or transplant. Pinch or cut leaves from the bottom of the plant upward, leaving the growing crown intact so the plant continues producing new foliage. Harvest in the morning after frost has passed for the sweetest, most tender leaves. Kale tolerates repeated harvesting and will keep producing through cool weather, so you can pick continuously rather than waiting for a single bulk harvest.
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