Lacinato Kale — The Italian Heirloom That Outperforms Everything Else in the Garden
🌍 Where It Grows Best
🇨🇦 Canada: Zones 3–9. Exceptional cold tolerance — established plants survive hard frost and snow, often continuing to produce into December or beyond. Start indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost or direct sow as early as 2–3 weeks before last frost.
🇺🇸 US: Zones 3–10. Grows well in all regions; most productive in fall and winter. In the South and Southwest, grow as a fall through spring crop — summer heat is too intense. In the Pacific Northwest, Lacinato Kale is effectively a year-round crop.
Best for: Fall and winter gardens, cold-hardy kitchen gardens, salads (massaged), sautéing, soups, kale chips, braising.
Lacinato Kale — also called Dinosaur Kale, Cavolo Nero, or Tuscan Black Kale — is the most sophisticated kale variety in common cultivation and the one most used by professional chefs. Its long, narrow, dark blue-green leaves have a distinctive pebbly texture that gives it the “dinosaur” name, and its flavour is noticeably sweeter and less bitter than curly kale — especially when harvested after frost, which triggers the sugar conversion that makes fall and winter kale genuinely exceptional.
From a garden productivity standpoint, Lacinato Kale is one of the best vegetables you can grow. It produces continuously from a single planting for 8–10 months in most climates, tolerates conditions that would kill most leafy greens, and actually improves in flavour as the season progresses into fall and winter. A few plants established in early spring will feed a household of leafy greens from late spring through the following winter — one of the highest-return crops in terms of input vs. output in the vegetable garden.
Sowing and Growing Lacinato Kale
Start seeds indoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost date, or direct sow outdoors 2–3 weeks before last frost. Kale is genuinely frost-tolerant at all stages — seedlings handle light frost without damage, and established plants survive temperatures well below freezing. Transplant outdoors to 45–60 cm (18–24 inches) apart — Lacinato plants grow tall (60–90 cm / 24–36 inches) and wide, and adequate spacing is important for air circulation and leaf size. In small gardens, Lacinato Kale works surprisingly well as a container plant in large (40+ litre) pots.
Kale prefers fertile, well-draining soil with consistent moisture. Work compost into beds before planting and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer at transplant time, then again mid-season. Unlike nitrogen-sensitive crops, kale benefits from moderate nitrogen feeding — it supports the large, productive leaves that make this crop so valuable. Water consistently; drought stress produces tougher, more bitter leaves. Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Kale is generally pest-resistant but watch for cabbage worms and aphids — both are easily managed with row cover in early season or manual removal.
For companion planting guidance, see our vegetable companion planting chart — Lacinato Kale benefits from being paired with aromatic herbs that confuse brassica pests.
Harvesting — The Key to Maximum Productivity
Begin harvesting when leaves are 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) long — always harvest from the bottom of the plant upward, taking the oldest outer leaves first and leaving the central growing tip and young leaves at the top intact. This is the critical technique for long-season production: harvesting from the bottom keeps the plant in a permanent vegetative state, allowing continuous production for many months. A plant harvested this way gradually becomes a tall stem bearing a crown of young leaves — characteristic of a well-managed Lacinato Kale plant in full production.
Never harvest the central growing tip — doing so stops the plant’s growth entirely. In contrast, consistently removing lower leaves every 1–2 weeks stimulates the plant to push new growth at the crown. The best flavour comes from late-season leaves harvested after frost, which converts leaf starches to sugars. Post-frost Lacinato Kale is markedly sweeter and less bitter than summer-harvested leaves — gardeners who have only eaten summer kale are often surprised by how much better it tastes in November and December.
In the Kitchen
Lacinato Kale’s flatter, more tender leaves are far more versatile in the kitchen than curly kale. Thinly sliced raw and massaged with olive oil and a pinch of salt for 2–3 minutes, it softens into a tender, silky salad base that holds dressings beautifully. Sautéed with garlic and olive oil, it wilts gently without becoming mushy — excellent as a side dish, pasta topping, pizza green, or filling for savoury pastries. Braised slowly with broth and aromatics, it becomes deep and complex — a cornerstone of Tuscan ribollita and similar soups. Torn into pieces and roasted at high heat with olive oil and salt, it makes the crispiest, most flavourful kale chips of any variety.
What’s the difference between Lacinato Kale and curly kale?
Lacinato (Dinosaur Kale / Cavolo Nero) has long, narrow, flat leaves with a pebbly, dark blue-green texture. Curly kale has tightly frilled, bright green leaves. Flavour-wise, Lacinato is significantly sweeter, less bitter, and more tender — especially after frost. Curly kale is more bitter and fibrous, though it softens with cooking. For raw use and cooking, most chefs prefer Lacinato. For chips, the curly type’s texture has advantages. Lacinato is also more productive for long-season kitchen garden use.
How cold can Lacinato Kale tolerate?
Lacinato Kale is one of the most frost-tolerant vegetables you can grow. Established plants survive temperatures down to −10°C (14°F) and often lower with light protection. In Zone 5 and warmer, plants continue producing through December and into winter with row cover or cold frame protection. In the Pacific Northwest and coastal BC, Lacinato Kale is effectively a year-round crop. Cold and frost actually improve the flavour — post-frost kale is noticeably sweeter as leaf starches convert to sugars.
Can I grow kale through a Canadian winter?
In mild coastal climates (BC Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island), yes — Lacinato Kale overwinters reliably in the ground with minimal protection. In colder regions (Zones 3–5), production stops once hard frost sets in and plants are buried under snow. However, a cold frame or low tunnel over established plants in Zone 5 can extend harvest through January in mild winters. Start new plants very early (late January indoors) to have transplants ready for the earliest possible outdoor planting in spring.
Why does kale taste better after frost?
Frost triggers the conversion of starches in kale leaves to simple sugars — a cold-stress response the plant uses to lower the freezing point of its cell contents. The result is noticeably sweeter, less bitter kale that’s more tender and complex in flavour. This is why fall and winter kale is so much better than summer kale. If you’ve only eaten kale in summer, try harvesting after the first hard frost — it’s a genuinely different eating experience.
How do I make kale less bitter?
Several techniques reduce kale’s bitterness: (1) Harvest after frost — the single most effective method; (2) Massage raw kale with olive oil and salt for 2–3 minutes — breaks down cell walls, softens texture, and reduces bitterness significantly; (3) Remove the central rib from each leaf — the rib is more bitter than the leaf blade; (4) Blanch briefly in boiling salted water before sautéing; (5) Pair with acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomato — acid balances bitterness well. Lacinato Kale is inherently less bitter than curly types, making all of these techniques even more effective.
Is kale better for you raw or cooked?
Both offer significant nutritional benefits. Raw kale provides more vitamin C and certain heat-sensitive compounds. Cooked kale provides better bioavailability of calcium, iron, and beta-carotene, partly because cooking reduces oxalate content. Kale also contains glucosinolates that convert to cancer-preventive compounds — these are partially deactivated by heat, so raw preparation preserves more of this benefit. Eating kale both raw and cooked regularly captures the best of both.
What pests attack Lacinato Kale?
The main pests are cabbage worms (green caterpillars from the cabbage white butterfly), cabbage loopers, and imported cabbageworm. All feed on leaves and can be severe if not managed. Hand-pick eggs and caterpillars, or apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray — a targeted biological control that kills caterpillars without affecting other insects. Aphids cluster on undersides of leaves and are controlled by strong water sprays or insecticidal soap. Flea beetles make small holes in leaves early season — row cover from transplant prevents this effectively.
How do I make crispy kale chips with Lacinato?
Remove leaves from stems, tear into palm-sized pieces, and wash and dry thoroughly — dry kale is critical for crispy chips. Toss with olive oil and salt (and optional nutritional yeast, garlic powder, or smoked paprika). Spread in a single layer on baking sheets — don’t overlap. Roast at 150°C (300°F) for 20–25 minutes, checking every 5 minutes toward the end. Lacinato Kale’s flatter leaves crisp more evenly than curly kale and are less prone to burning at the edges while the centre remains soft. Cool on the pan before eating — they crisp further as they cool.
Harvest from Spring Through Winter — One Planting, Eight Months of Greens
Heirloom Lacinato Kale seeds — Tuscan Dinosaur Kale, non-GMO. Available on Amazon, ships to Canada and the US.
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