When To Plant Kale And Swiss Chard

The best time to plant kale and Swiss chard is in the early spring, about two to four weeks before your last expected frost date, and again in the late summer for a bountiful fall harvest.
 
Both of these leafy greens thrive in cooler weather, so timing your planting to avoid the intense heat of summer is the key to getting tender, sweet leaves.
 
If you’ve been wondering when to plant kale and Swiss chard to get the most out of your garden, you’re in the right place.
 
In this post, we’ll break down the best planting windows for both spring and fall, how to stagger your plantings for a continuous supply, and a few tips to make sure your kale and Swiss chard grow strong and healthy.
 
Let’s dig in.

When to Plant Kale and Swiss Chard for the Best Results

The simple answer for when to plant kale and Swiss chard is that both are cool-season crops that can handle a bit of frost, so your main planting times are early spring and late summer.
 
Kale is incredibly hardy and can even survive temperatures down to 20°F once established, which means you can plant it earlier than most other vegetables.
 
Swiss chard is slightly more sensitive to hard frosts but still prefers cooler temperatures over the heat of midsummer.
 
The trick is to get them in the ground while the soil is still cool, so they have time to mature before the weather turns too hot or too cold.
 
Let’s look at the specific windows for each season so you know exactly when to plant kale and Swiss chard in your region.

Early Spring Planting for Kale and Swiss Chard

When the soil is workable and has thawed out in early spring, that’s your first signal to start planting.
 
For most zones, that means planting kale and Swiss chard about 2 to 4 weeks before your final frost date.
 
Kale seeds can actually be sown as soon as the ground can be worked, even if a light frost is still possible.
 
Swiss chard is a bit more tender, so wait until the soil temperature is at least 50°F to give the seeds the best chance to germinate.
 
If you start seeds indoors, you can begin them about 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost, then transplant the seedlings outside when they have a couple of true leaves.
 
This early start means you’ll be harvesting fresh greens by late spring, just when you’re craving something green after a long winter.

Late Summer Planting for a Fall Harvest

The second key window for when to plant kale and Swiss chard is in the late summer, typically about 6 to 8 weeks before your first expected fall frost.
 
This allows the plants to mature in the cooler autumn temperatures, which actually makes the leaves sweeter and more tender.
 
A light frost in the fall doesn’t hurt these greens; in fact, it improves their flavor by converting starches into sugars.
 
For a fall crop, you can either sow seeds directly in the garden or start them in flats and transplant them out in mid-to-late summer.
 
Just make sure you provide some shade or extra water if you’re planting during a hot spell, because the young seedlings can struggle in the heat.
 
Once the cool weather arrives, your kale and Swiss chard will take off and provide you with greens well into the late fall, and sometimes even into winter with a little protection.

Factors That Affect When to Plant Kale and Swiss Chard

While the general rule for when to plant kale and Swiss chard is based on frost dates, your specific climate and growing conditions will always play a big role.
 
Understanding these factors will help you fine-tune your planting schedule and avoid disappointment.

Your USDA Hardiness Zone

Your hardiness zone tells you a lot about your frost dates, which directly impacts when to plant kale and Swiss chard.
 
In northern zones (3–5), you’ll have a shorter spring and a quicker fall, so you’ll want to plant earlier in spring and earlier in late summer.
 
In southern zones (7–9), you can often plant in late winter for an early spring crop, and then again in early fall to avoid the extreme heat.
 
If you’re in a mild zone, you might even be able to grow kale and Swiss chard all winter long with just a simple row cover.
 
Check your local extension office for the exact frost dates, and then count backward to find your ideal planting dates.

Soil Temperature for Germination

Kale seeds will germinate in soil as cool as 40°F, but they germinate faster when the soil is between 60°F and 70°F.
 
Swiss chard is a little more particular and prefers soil temperatures between 50°F and 65°F for good germination.
 
If the soil is too cold, seeds might rot before they sprout, so it’s worth waiting a bit if the ground is still frozen or waterlogged.
 
You can use a soil thermometer to check the temperature at a depth of about 2 inches to be sure it’s time to plant kale and Swiss chard.
 
If the soil is too warm in the summer, that’s your sign to wait for the late summer window when things cool down again.

Bolting in Hot Weather

One of the biggest reasons to pay attention to when to plant kale and Swiss chard is to avoid bolting, which is when the plant sends up a flower stalk and the leaves turn bitter.
 
Both kale and Swiss chard are biennials, meaning they naturally flower in their second year, but heat stress can trick them into bolting early.
 
If you plant them too late in the spring and they experience hot summer temperatures, they’ll go to seed quickly.
 
That’s why it’s so important to get them planted early enough that they can mature before the summer heat hits.
 
Similarly, a fall planting avoids the heat entirely, which is why that crop always tastes so much sweeter.

How to Stagger Plantings for a Continuous Supply

Instead of planting all your kale and Swiss chard at once, you can stagger your plantings to enjoy a steady harvest for months.
 
This technique, called succession planting, is a smart way to make sure you always have fresh greens on hand.
 
For the spring, sow a small batch of seeds every 2 to 3 weeks, starting as soon as the soil is ready.
 
Keep that going until about 6 weeks before the heat of summer arrives, and you’ll have young plants maturing at different times.
 
For the fall, do the same thing in late summer, planting a new round every couple of weeks until about 8 weeks before your first frost.
 
This way, you’ll never have a glut of leaves all at once, and you’ll be picking fresh kale and Swiss chard for weeks on end.
 
You can also mix in some slower-growing varieties with faster ones to spread out your harvest even more.

So, When to Plant Kale and Swiss Chard?

The best time to plant kale and Swiss chard is in the early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, and again in the late summer for a delicious fall crop.
 
Kale can go in a couple of weeks earlier than Swiss chard, but both prefer cool soil and cool air temperatures.
 
By checking your frost dates and soil temperatures, you can pinpoint the exact time to plant kale and Swiss chard in your garden.
 
And by using succession planting, you can keep those leafy greens coming from spring all the way through fall.
 
So get your seeds ready, mark your calendar, and enjoy a season full of nutritious, homegrown greens.