Growing Kale from Seeds vs. Transplanting

In previous posts, we touched on the fact that we were interested in growing kale from seeds. We initially set out to grow kale because of it’s health benefits and the fact that it is a durable, resistant plant that grows easily.

In the beginning, we had tremendous success in transplanting kale seedlings into our garden. We chose seedlings (transplants) over seeds as beginners because we thought it would be easier. As a result, we were blessed with an abundance of kale.

But it felt as though there was a little something missing. Sure, we nurtured and maintained the kale after it’s infancy but there’s an allure to growing from seed.

Four weeks ago, we purchased Lacinato Kale seeds and decided to grow from seed.

Methods we used in growing Kale from Seeds

1. Planting the seeds directly in our garden (We first soaked the seeds in water for 12 hours to speed up germinating process)

2. Planting the seeds in compostable seedling starter kits and nursing them inside for 2.5 weeks (We created a .75″ hole by pressing the soil down with the tip of a pencil, then planted two seeds in each hole and covered. The soil we used was take from our garden in order to stay consistent)

Here are pictures of the progress of both methods:

The results have been interesting to say the least. Of the 20 outdoor seeds that were planted, only 3 made it, but the three that made it have grown tremendously.

On the other hand, almost all of the indoor seeds sprouted within 5 days but the growth sputtered within the following week.

Last week, we transplanted the indoor seeds into the garden (without removing them from their compostable starter kits.) They’re planted right along side the 3 outdoor seedlings that made it so we’ll be able to track progress and growth.

It has been fulfilling, the feeling of nurturing a seed from its beginning. We’re excited to see the kale grow and hopefully provide us with healthy, sustainable, organic food in the coming months!

Have you ever grown your own organic kale? Feel free to describe your experience in the comments section!