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Masterclass: Kale — Bay Area (Sunset + USDA)

Kale is a cool‑season workhorse in the Bay Area. To get tender leaves and steady harvests, match sowing and transplant timing to your microclimate. We use both systems: USDA zones for cold‑hardiness context and Sunset zones for day‑to‑day reality (marine fog, wind, summer highs, length of season). Sunset zone guidance is especially useful here because it integrates factors USDA doesn’t (Sunset Climate Zones overview). For most Bay Area gardeners that’s Sunset 14–17 with USDA 9–10.


Local Master Gardeners suggest fall and late‑winter plantings for brassicas, with precise windows shifting by microclimate. Use transplants to hit the sweet spot and deploy simple IPM (row cover, hand‑picking) to stay ahead of caterpillars.


Inside this Masterclass, you’ll get a Sunset+USDA matrix, a week‑by‑week checklist, targeted pest/disease actions, and Bay‑Area‑proven heirloom picks. We also include on‑bed spacing/watering notes you can apply today.



Growbot - Bay Area Garden Nerd

“GrowBot did some digging… If you see a small white butterfly, eggs are already on your brassicas. Row cover now = fewer holes later.”



Sunset + USDA microclimate matrix (timing overview)


  • Sunset 17 (fog belt; USDA ~10): Transplant Sep–Oct and Feb–Mar; direct‑sow Sep–Nov for baby leaves. Expect slug/snail pressure after first rains; use iron‑phosphate baits and hand‑picking (UC IPM snails & slugs).

  • Sunset 16 (coastal thermal belts; USDA 9–10): Transplant Sep–Oct and Feb; steady fall cut‑and‑come‑again harvests; light afternoon shade if warm.

  • Sunset 14–15 (inland with marine influence; USDA 9): Transplant Sep and late Feb; fall is prime for sweetest leaves; mulch 2–3” to stabilize moisture.

  • Sunset 7–9 (hotter pockets; USDA 9): Favor fall plantings; spring plantings bolt earlier — choose faster types and harvest small.


Sowing, spacing, and watering (quick wins)


  • Direct‑sow ½” deep; thin or transplant to 12–18” apart; for baby kale, broadcast thicker.

  • Keep soil evenly moist; mulch to moderate heat and conserve water.


Hand‑drawn kale spacing diagram with 12–18 inch plant gaps in a mulched Bay Area bed, simple guide lines and labels

Pests & diseases (what to expect, what to do)


  • Cabbageworm / cabbage looper: Floating row cover prevents egg‑laying; hand‑pick; spot‑treat small larvae with Bt or spinosad.

  • Slugs & snails (after first rains): Reduce hiding places; hand‑pick at dusk; use traps or iron‑phosphate baits.


Hand‑drawn kale leaf with small chewed holes, a white butterfly icon above, and a translucent row cover sketch

Weekly checklist (example, fall start)


  • Week 0: Clear beds; add 1–2” compost; pre‑irrigate.

  • Week 1: Transplant; install row cover; mulch 2–3”.

  • Week 2–3: Thin direct‑sown stands; check for caterpillar frass; hand‑pick nightly.

  • Week 4+: Cut outer leaves regularly; top up mulch; scout slugs after rains.


Heirloom Varieties for the Bay Area


  • ‘Red Russian’ — tender, oak‑leaf habit; sweetens with chill.

  • ‘Lacinato’ (Tuscan/Dinosaur) — classic texture and flavor; steady fall–winter performer.

  • ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ — compact; great for small beds/containers.


Hand-drawn Bay Area map with soft land–water washes, fog and sun icons, and arrows showing earlier coastal and later inland kale transplants; watermark.


Sources & Further Reading



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