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Hi - I'm a beginner. Last week I planted live kale and broccoli in 3 raised beds. They're tiny for now. I separated them by the distance recommended, 14-18 inches, depending.

Can I use the space in between to plant something else? I'm thinking of radishes or curly endives (frisee)? Or is it to remain an absolute no-plant-land for the duration of the kale / broccoli experiment?

Quick maturing stuff ...say 30-45 days -- so radish, leaf lettuce, asian turnip kind of thing -- that will be pulled before kale and broccoli overtake the space. Doesn't endive take longer?

I'll check, but I understand what you're saying. Thank you.

Carrots and radishes are good ideas .

Chives are good. They help repel pests from the kale and broccoli and they take up very little room and won't shade your crop plants. And the chives can handle being shaded some.

You can absolutely use the space in between, as long as what you're growing there will be harvested/removed by the time the broccoli/kale needs the space (and don't forget the root space!). Lettuce is always a good option that I often grow in between broccoli seedlings, just remove the whole plant when you harvest it so that the roots can take over where the lettuce was too, not just the leaves.