Can you grow kale from kale?

Question: Can you grow kale from kale? Is there a way to take kale cuttings for extra plants? -Timothy W.

Answer: You can grow kale from an existing kale plant by taking a cutting of a vigorous side stem that has multiple leaves. (Always use clean, sterilized shears to take cuttings or do work in your garden to prevent spreading disease.) Strip away all but the top leaf from the cutting, and if that leaf is large, cut it in half so the bottom half is still attached to the stem. Pruning your cutting this way ensures that your growing kale plant will focus its energy on developing roots instead of maintaining its foliage.

Plant the cutting in a container with high quality potting soil, and use a spray bottle to keep the soil moist but not overly saturated. Put the container in a sunny spot indoors, such as a southern-facing windowsill. If the weather gets hotter than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you will need to provide your kale plant with partial shade. Within three weeks, it will have developed roots, and in three months, it should be large enough to transplant into your garden.

Your plant that has been accustomed to the indoors will need to be introduced to the outdoor climate and direct sunlight gradually through a process called hardening off. You can read about this process in our article Hardening Off Plants: Common Reader Questions and Answers.