When to plant kale in Wilmington

Kale is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Wilmington's frost dates of Apr 6.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Feb 23 – Mar 16
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Mar 19 – Apr 9
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 13 – Jun 2
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 4 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Aug 4 – Aug 18
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 5 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Oct 5 – Oct 25
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
55 – 75 d
Wilmington's 214-day season leaves this much room.
Kale on Wilmington's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
APR 6
NOV 8

Common questions

When can I sow kale outdoors in Wilmington?

Direct-sow around mid March (Mar 19–Apr 9) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.

When will kale be ready to harvest in Wilmington?

Expect to harvest from around mid May (May 13–Jun 2) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.

When should I start kale seeds indoors in Wilmington?

Start seeds indoors around late February (Feb 23–Mar 16) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.

When can I transplant kale outdoors in Wilmington?

Transplant outdoors around mid March (Mar 19–Apr 9) in Wilmington, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.

Can I plant kale in autumn in Wilmington?

Yes — Wilmington supports a second, autumn sowing of kale around early August (Aug 4–Aug 18), timed to mature before the first fall frost.

How long is the growing season in Wilmington?

Wilmington has roughly 214 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow kale to maturity outdoors.

The rule of thumb

Sow kale as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Wilmington's frost dates.

Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.