How to Grow Frosted Curls
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Frosted Curls
Brassica oleracea var. acephala
vegetableFrosted Curls is a distinctive ornamental kale variety featuring deeply frilled, blue-green leaves with a silvery, frosted appearance that intensifies after frost exposure. It's grown both for its striking visual appeal in landscapes and as an edible green with a tender, mild flavor. The plant combines decorative garden value with nutritional benefits typical of kale.
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Example Frosted Curls timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Frosted Curls
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Frosted Curls
Around Jun 16≈ 60 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Frosted Curls dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-9; flavor and color improve significantly after fall frost
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Get my Frosted Curls timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 true leaves emerge 7-10 days after planting. Cotyledons are rounded; true leaves show early serration.
Keep soil consistently moist. Provide bright light to prevent leggy growth. Thin seedlings to prevent crowding.
Vegetative Growth
4-6 weeksPlant develops characteristic deeply curled, blue-green foliage. Leaves become increasingly frilly and ornamental. Plant reaches 18-24 inches tall.
Maintain even moisture and consistent fertility. Apply balanced fertilizer every 3-4 weeks. Mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
Pre-Frost Development
2-4 weeksLeaves continue expanding and becoming more densely packed. Coloring deepens and frosted appearance becomes more pronounced.
Monitor for pests. Continue regular watering. Reduce nitrogen fertilization to avoid excessive soft growth.
Frost Exposure & Sweetening
Ongoing through fall/early winterAfter first frost (28-32°F), sugars concentrate in leaves, creating sweeter flavor and more dramatic silvery-frosted appearance. Plant becomes even more ornamental.
Light frost actually improves flavor and appearance—do not over-protect. Continue watering if rainfall is insufficient.
Harvest
2-4 monthsPlant is ready to harvest 60-90 days from transplant, but quality improves significantly after frost. Leaves maintain quality through winter in cold climates.
Harvest outer leaves first, working inward. Pick regularly to encourage new growth. Plant can continue producing through mild winters.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Row covers on young plants; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); hand-picking; neem oil spray
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Row covers; diatomaceous earth; insecticidal soap; reflective mulches
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Bt spray; neem oil; hand-picking; encourage beneficial parasitic wasps
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Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage ladybugs and lacewings
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Improve air circulation; sulfur dust or spray; avoid overhead watering; remove affected leaves
Uses
Tender Kale Salads & Greens
CulinaryThe tender, deeply curled leaves are excellent raw in salads, particularly after frost when they develop a sweeter, milder flavor than standard kale. Use young leaves for the most delicate texture. [source]
Cooked Greens & Chips
CulinaryFrosted Curls is excellent sautéed, steamed, or massaged with oil for kale chips. The frilly texture makes it visually appealing when cooked. [source]
Nutritional Powerhouse
MedicinalLike all kale, Frosted Curls is rich in glucosinolates, vitamin K, vitamin C, and cancer-fighting compounds. Frost exposure increases sugar content and may enhance certain phytonutrients. [source]
Ornamental Garden Feature
HouseholdThe striking silvery-frosted, deeply ruffled blue-green foliage makes Frosted Curls a beautiful landscaping plant for fall and winter gardens, providing structure and color when many plants fade. [source]
Pollinator & Beneficial Insect Support
WildlifeIf allowed to flower (typically in second year), Frosted Curls produces attractive yellow brassica flowers that attract pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Begin harvesting outer leaves once plant is well-established (60+ days), leaving inner growth to continue. Frosted Curls improves dramatically in flavor and visual appeal after the first frost—harvest reaches peak quality in fall and early winter. Pick leaves early morning for crispness. Regular harvesting encourages bushier growth and more tender leaves. In mild climates, plant can produce through winter.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Frosted Curls gets its distinctive silvery appearance from a natural waxy coating on the leaves called the bloom or pruinescence, which intensifies and becomes more pronounced after frost.
- 🌱 Kale is one of the most cold-hardy vegetables and actually tastes sweeter after frost because the plant converts starches to sugars as a natural antifreeze mechanism.
- 🌱 Frosted Curls is a relatively modern ornamental kale variety, developed to maximize both visual appeal and culinary quality—it's equally at home in a flower border as in a vegetable garden.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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