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When to Plant Kale in Tabiona, UT

Kale
Duchesne County, Utah Zone 6a June

Your June planting checklist for Duchesne County, Utah

Your garden in Duchesne County, Utah is working on a schedule, even when you're not. Here's where you should be this June.

Avg. last frost May 10
Avg. first frost October 4
Soil temp (4") 49°F
Watering Critical
Pest pressure High
Daylight 14.9 hrs
  1. Time to start kale inside

    Your window is short. These crops want several weeks of indoor growth before they go outside.

Get ahead of July
  • First harvests: kale
  • Fall sowing: kale

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Kale is an exceptionally hardy, nutrient-dense green available in curly, lacinato, and Russian varieties. It tolerates heavy frost and often tastes sweeter after cold exposure.

Tabiona, Utah is in USDA Zone 6a. The average last spring frost is May 10 and the first fall frost is October 4, giving you a growing season of approximately 147 days.

At an elevation of 5,302 feet, Duchesne County receives approximately 13 inches of rainfall annually with predominantly loam soil. Summer highs average 80°F, so choose short-season varieties of Kale to ensure they mature before fall. With low rainfall, drip irrigation is essential for growing Kale successfully. Mulch heavily to conserve soil moisture.

Tabiona, UT (Zone 6a) Short season
147 days
Last Spring Frost May 10
147 growing days
First Fall Frost October 4

Tabiona Soil Profile

Soil Type

Loam

Soil pH

6.4-8.2

Drainage

Well Drained

Kale Planting Risk Windows

Early Start (70% safe) ✓ Fits season (34 days to spare)
Start indoors: Mar 27 Transplant: May 1 🍅 Harvest: Jun 26 – Aug 21
Recommended (50%) ✓ Fits season (35 days to spare)
Start indoors: Apr 5 Transplant: May 10 🍅 Harvest: Jul 5 – Aug 30
Safe Start (90%) ✓ Fits season (24 days to spare)
Start indoors: Apr 30 Transplant: Jun 4 🍅 Harvest: Jul 30 – Sep 24

Percentages indicate frost risk at transplant. The 70% safe window means there is a 30% chance of frost after transplant — suitable for cold-hardy crops or gardeners with frost protection. The 90% safe window is best for tender plants.

Soil Compatibility in Tabiona

How your county's soil matches Kale's growing requirements.

Soil pH

Your soil pH (6.4–8.2) overlaps with Kale's range (6.0–7.5), though not a perfect match.

Soil Texture

The loam soil in Duchesne County is excellent for Kale — good drainage, moisture retention, and nutrient holding capacity.

Organic Matter

Organic matter is moderate (2.5%). Annual compost additions will help Kale.

How to Plant Kale

1"
Planting Depth
15"
Between Plants
24"
Between Rows

Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.

Succession Planting Kale

3
successive plantings in your 147-day season

Sow every 5.7 weeks. Last sowing by Jul 26 to harvest before frost.

For a dedicated fall crop, sow by Jul 26.

Kale Water Budget

Plant needs
0.8″/week
Rainfall provides
0.4″/week
You supply
0.5″/week
Watering frequency 1-2 times/week
Season total 673 gal / 100 sq ft
Drought risk

Water stress score is 8/10 — consider drought-tolerant varieties and mulching

Monthly Watering Guide for Kale

Kale needs approximately 0.8 inches of water per week (3.5" per month). Here's how your county's rainfall compares month by month.

Month Kale Needs Rainfall You Supplement Action
Jan 0.9" 0" ❄️ Dormant
Feb 0.8" 0" ❄️ Dormant
Mar 1.3" 0" ❄️ Dormant
Apr 1.4" 0" ❄️ Dormant
May 3.5" 1.3" 2.2" 🚿 Regular watering
Jun 3.5" 0.8" 2.7" 🚿 Regular watering
Jul 3.5" 1.3" 2.2" 🚿 Regular watering
Aug 3.5" 1.3" 2.2" 🚿 Regular watering
Sep 3.5" 1.2" 2.3" 🚿 Regular watering
Oct 3.5" 1.3" 2.2" 🚿 Regular watering
Nov 1" 0" ❄️ Dormant
Dec 0.6" 0" ❄️ Dormant

Water needs are for active growing months only (May–Oct in Duchesne County). Supplement amounts are based on average rainfall — actual needs vary with temperature, soil, and mulching.

Kale Heat Requirements (GDD)

What are Growing Degree Days (GDD)?

Growing Degree Days measure the total warmth your plants receive during the growing season. Think of it as a "heat bank" — every day above 50°F deposits warmth that helps your plants grow.

Each plant needs a certain amount of accumulated heat to mature. If your county provides more GDD than the plant needs, it's a great fit. If it's close, you may want to choose faster-maturing varieties or start seeds indoors to get a head start.

Kale needs ~600 GDD — county provides 1,470 GDD Excellent fit

Kale Planting Timeline — Tabiona, UT

Kale Planting Calendar

Activity When Date Range
Start Indoors April 5 Apr 5 – Apr 19
Transplant Outdoors May 10 May 10 – May 24
Direct Sow April 26 Apr 26 – May 17
Harvest July 5 Jul 5 – Aug 30
Fall Sowing July 26 Jul 26 – Aug 9

Plant 1" deep · 15" apart · Rows 24" apart

Month-by-Month Timeline

MonthActivities
January
February
March
April Start Indoors Direct Sow
May Transplant Outdoors Direct Sow
June
July Fall Sowing Harvest
August Fall Sowing Harvest
September
October
November
December

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

0.8"/week · 1-2 times/week

📅 Days to Maturity

50–70 days

🧪 Soil pH

Needs 6–7.5 · Your soil: acceptable

🗺️ USDA Zone

Zone 6a

📆 Growing Season

147 days in Duchesne County

Growing Tips for Kale in Tabiona

Direct sow Kale outdoors after May 10 in Duchesne County when soil has warmed and frost danger has passed.

Common pests for Kale in this region include cabbage worm and flea beetles. Use row covers early in the season and inspect plants weekly.

General growing tips

Direct sow or transplant in early spring or late summer. Harvest outer leaves first to keep plants productive. Kale overwinters in many climates and can provide greens all year.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Avoid Planting Near

  • Strawberries
  • Tomatoes

Check more plant combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

🌾 Save Your Own Kale Seeds
Life Cycle Biennial
Pollination Cross-Pollinated (insects)
How to Collect Allow 2nd year flower stalks to dry. Harvest pods when tan.
Storage Store airtight; viable 5 years at 35°F, under 50% humidity.

Isolate 1/2 mile from other brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) — they all cross.

🌱

Your Duchesne County Garden Planner — Free

A 22-page printable planner built for Duchesne County (Zone 6a). Planting dates, a month-by-month schedule, harvest log, seed inventory, and succession charts — all dialed in for your exact growing season.

Instant PDF download. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Data sources: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023), NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals. Frost dates are based on 50% probability averages for Duchesne County, UT. Local conditions may vary. Last updated: June 2026.