Vegetables · Step-by-step guide
How to Grow Lacinato Kale (Dinosaur Kale) Seeds for Home Gardening
Premium Italian heirloom kale with dark, textured leaves and exceptional flavor.
Lacinato Kale, also known as Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale, is a premium Italian heirloom variety with dark blue-green, deeply textured leaves and a rich, slightly sweet flavor. Easy to grow and highly productive, it is perfect for home gardens, containers, salads, soups, smoothies, and stir-fries.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Time to harvest
- Baby leaves: 30–40 days | Full size: 55–65 days
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade (5–6 hours daily)
- Water
- Keep the soil consistently moist. Water 2–3 times per week or when the topsoil begins to dry.
- Soil
- Rich, fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0–7.5
- Spacing
- 40–50 cm apart
- Temperature
- 15–24°C ideal; tolerates 5–30°C
Step-by-step guide
- 1
Prepare Seeds and Trays
Fill seed trays with a light, sterile seed-starting mix. Moisten thoroughly before planting. Place 1–2 Lacinato Kale seeds per cell, 0.5–1 cm deep, and cover lightly with mix.
- 2
Germinate in a Cool, Bright Spot
Place trays in a bright location at 20–25°C. Mist daily to keep the surface moist. Seeds germinate in 5–10 days. Once sprouted, provide 5–6 hours of gentle sunlight to prevent leggy seedlings.
- 3
Transplant Strong Seedlings
After 3–4 weeks, when seedlings have 4–5 true leaves, harden them off outdoors for a week. Transplant into prepared beds or 30 cm containers, spacing plants 40–50 cm apart. Water deeply after transplanting.
- 4
Feed, Water, and Mulch
Water 2–3 times weekly and feed with organic fertilizer or fish emulsion every 2–3 weeks. Apply a 3–5 cm mulch layer of rice straw around each plant to conserve moisture, cool the soil, and suppress weeds.
- 5
Harvest Continuously
Begin picking outer leaves once they reach 20–25 cm long. Always leave the top 4–6 central leaves so the plant keeps growing. With good care, one plant can produce leaves for 4–6 months in Thailand's cool season.
QR
Scan or share this guide
Point your phone camera at the code to open this growing guide instantly, or download it to print and share.
/guides/lacinato-kale-dinosaur