Garden Care Guide

Ornamental Kale Care

Brassica oleracea var. acephala

An annual that adds color to gardens in winter months and loves cold weather. It prefers full sun and fertile, moist soils; its color reaches its most vivid with the onset of cold weather.

Half-hardy · -8 °C / 18 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Not needed if winter precipitation is sufficient; if it turns dry, every 10-15 days (10 L/m²).
  • Pruning: Remove only lower leaves that are yellowing or rotting.
  • Plant protection: Pest activity is low in the cold, but check the undersides of the leaves.
  • General care: The plant displays its best color this month.
  • Pests & diseases: Watch for downy mildew or root rot caused by excess moisture.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.
February
  • Watering: Not needed if winter precipitation is sufficient; if it turns dry, every 10-15 days (10 L/m²).
  • Pruning: Keep removing yellowing lower leaves.
  • Plant protection: Pest activity is low.
  • General care: The plant's ornamental appearance continues.
  • Pests & diseases: In cold and humid weather, be careful about fungal diseases.
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.
March
  • Watering: Keep the soil moist as the weather begins to warm (once a week, 10-15 L/m²).
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy.
  • Plant protection: Aphids may be seen as the weather warms.
  • General care: The plant begins to bolt (send up flower stems) and loses its ornamental form. Prepare for removal at the end of the month.
  • Pests & diseases: Since it has reached the end of its life, no serious intervention is needed.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • General care: It is time to dig up the plants and add them to compost. Prepare the beds for summer seasonal flowers.
  • Pests & diseases: Plant debris can harbor disease and should be removed.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • General care: Care for the summer annuals. Plan for autumn planting.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • General care: Start soil preparation for autumn planting. Aerate the soil and enrich it with compost.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
  • General care: At the end of the month, complete soil preparation. Clear out summer plants.
  • Pests & diseases: Check for harmful larvae in the soil.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Fertilizing: Before planting, mix well-rotted farmyard manure or slow-release balanced NPK (10-10-10) fertilizer into the soil (do not overapply).
  • Plant protection: Newly planted seedlings may be attacked by cabbage white caterpillars (green caterpillars). If necessary, use a biological insecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis).
  • General care: Plant the seedlings at 30-40 cm intervals.
  • Pests & diseases: Watch out for caterpillars and slugs.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
  • Fertilizing: If fertilizer was applied at planting, none is needed. If not, a one-time application of balanced liquid fertilizer may be given.
  • Pruning: Remove the lowest leaves that are starting to yellow.
  • Plant protection: Continue controlling caterpillars and aphids.
  • General care: It is removed at the end of the season; it is replaced with seasonal planting.
  • Pests & diseases: Leaf-eating caterpillars are the biggest threat.
November
  • Watering: Watering once a week is usually enough (10 L/m²); monitor rainfall.
  • Pruning: Continue removing the lower leaves.
  • Plant protection: Pest activity decreases as the cold begins.
  • General care: As nights cool, the colors at the center of the plant (pink, purple, white) begin to intensify.
  • Pests & diseases: Snails and slugs can appear in humid weather.
  • Frost risk: Light frosts enhance the color even more; no protection is needed.
December
  • Watering: Winter precipitation is usually sufficient; if there is no rain for a long time, water every 15 days (10 L/m²).
  • Pruning: Ensure air circulation by removing yellowing or rotting lower leaves.
  • General care: The colors are at their most vivid and the plant is at its most showy.
  • Pests & diseases: Good air circulation prevents fungal diseases (downy mildew).
  • Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -8 °C.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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