Overview

Discover the joy of growing your own nutritious vegetables with our premium Red Russian Kale seeds. This beloved heirloom variety, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea, is celebrated for its striking appearance and exceptional flavor. Unlike many other kales, Red Russian Kale boasts flat, deeply lobed leaves with a distinct bluish-green hue and striking purple-red veins and stems, adding a vibrant touch to any garden or plate. These non-GMO kale seeds ensure you’re planting a natural, unaltered product, perfect for health-conscious gardeners. Known for its tenderness and slightly sweet, mild flavor, even when mature, it’s a versatile addition to salads, smoothies, and cooked dishes. Whether you’re an avid gardener or just starting, learning to grow Red Russian Kale is a rewarding experience, providing a continuous harvest throughout multiple seasons.

Our Red Russian Kale seeds are sourced to provide you with the best possible start for a thriving kale patch. This variety is particularly resilient, tolerating both cooler temperatures and some heat, making it suitable for a wide range of climates. Its rapid growth and ease of cultivation make it a favorite among home gardeners. Prepare to enjoy a bountiful harvest of this beautiful and delicious leafy green, known for its high nutritional value and robust flavor profile.

Key Benefits

Growing Red Russian Kale seeds offers a multitude of benefits, from enhancing your garden’s aesthetics to providing a constant supply of healthy greens. Here are some of the standout advantages:

• Nutrient-Rich Harvest: Red Russian Kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as essential minerals and antioxidants. Incorporating this kale into your diet can significantly boost your nutritional intake, supporting overall health and well-being. These non-GMO kale seeds provide a clean, wholesome food source.

• Exceptional Flavor and Texture: Known for its tender texture and sweeter, milder flavor compared to other kale varieties, Red Russian Kale is incredibly palatable. It’s less bitter and has a more delicate crunch, making it perfect for fresh salads, light sautés, and even kale chips.

• Stunning Visual Appeal: With its unique bluish-green leaves and contrasting purple-red stems and veins, Red Russian Kale serves as an attractive edible ornamental. It adds a splash of color and texture to garden beds, containers, and even as a border plant, enhancing your garden’s beauty.

• Cold Hardy and Versatile: This variety is remarkably cold-tolerant, often becoming even sweeter after a light frost. It can be planted in early spring for a summer harvest or late summer for a fall and winter crop, providing a long harvesting season in many regions. This hardiness makes it an excellent choice for gardeners looking to extend their growing season.

• Easy to Grow: Red Russian Kale is known for its vigorous growth and relatively low maintenance requirements, making it an ideal choice for beginner gardeners. It germinates reliably and quickly establishes itself, allowing you to enjoy fresh greens with minimal effort. Learning to grow Red Russian Kale is straightforward and rewarding.

• Continuous Harvest: By practicing the ‘cut and come again’ method, you can harvest outer leaves regularly, encouraging the plant to produce new growth. This ensures a continuous supply of fresh kale over several months, maximizing your yield from a single planting of heirloom kale seeds.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Cultivating Red Russian Kale seeds is a straightforward process, but understanding its specific needs will ensure a robust and productive harvest. Kale thrives in cool weather, making spring and fall the ideal planting seasons. For best results, sow seeds directly into well-prepared garden beds after the last frost in spring, or about 6-8 weeks before the first expected frost in fall. Plant seeds about a half-inch deep and 1 inch apart, in rows spaced 18-24 inches apart. Once seedlings emerge and are a few inches tall, thin them to 8-12 inches apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth. If starting indoors, transplant seedlings when they have 4-6 true leaves.

Sunlight requirements: Red Russian Kale prefers full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. However, in hotter climates, a little afternoon shade can prevent bolting and keep the leaves tender. Watering schedule and soil moisture preferences: Consistent moisture is crucial for tender leaves. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, aiming for about 1-1.5 inches of water per week. The soil should remain consistently moist but not waterlogged. Soil type and drainage requirements: Kale prefers fertile, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal. Amend heavy clay soils with compost to improve drainage and fertility. Temperature range and USDA hardiness zone: Red Russian Kale is cold-hardy, suitable for USDA zones 3-9. It can withstand light frosts, which often sweeten the leaves. Optimal growing temperatures are between 55-75°F (13-24°C). Fertilization schedule and type: Incorporate a balanced organic fertilizer or compost into the soil before planting. Side-dress with compost or a nitrogen-rich fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season to support continuous leaf production. Common problems and solutions: Watch out for common pests like aphids, cabbage worms, and flea beetles. Organic pest control methods like neem oil, insecticidal soap, or hand-picking can be effective. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases. Proper care will help you successfully grow Red Russian Kale.

Size & Details

These Red Russian Kale seeds will grow into plants that typically reach a height of 18-36 inches with a spread of 12-24 inches, depending on growing conditions and harvesting frequency. The leaves themselves can grow quite large, often 10-12 inches long, featuring their distinctive flat, frilly, and deeply lobed shape. This variety is an annual, completing its life cycle within one growing season, but can offer a prolonged harvest period. Expect germination within 7-14 days under optimal conditions, with plants ready for their first harvest in approximately 50-60 days from seeding. The ‘cut and come again’ harvesting method allows for continuous production throughout the growing season.

The plants are robust and vigorous growers, making them an excellent choice for both small home gardens and larger vegetable patches. Seeds are shipped in protective packaging to ensure viability upon arrival, ready for immediate planting. This particular variety of Brassica oleracea seeds is known for its reliability and excellent yield.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this kale plant get? A: Red Russian Kale plants typically grow to about 18-36 inches tall and spread 12-24 inches wide, offering ample leaves for harvesting. Its size can vary slightly based on growing conditions and how often you harvest the outer leaves.

• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Red Russian Kale is primarily an outdoor vegetable garden plant. While it can be grown in containers on a patio, it thrives best with ample space in garden beds. It requires significant sunlight and prefers cooler temperatures.

• Q: How much sunlight does Red Russian Kale need? A: For optimal growth, Red Russian Kale needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. In very hot climates, providing some afternoon shade can prevent the leaves from becoming tough and bitter.

• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Red Russian Kale is considered very easy to care for. It’s a vigorous grower and quite forgiving, making it an excellent choice for gardeners of all experience levels. Consistent watering and good soil are key.

• Q: What condition will the Red Russian Kale seeds arrive in? A: Your non-GMO kale seeds will arrive in a sealed, protective packet, ensuring their viability and readiness for planting upon arrival. We take care to package them securely for transit.

• Q: Can I use Red Russian Kale in cooking? A: Absolutely! Red Russian Kale is highly prized for its culinary versatility. Its tender, sweet leaves are perfect for fresh salads, stir-fries, smoothies, sautés, and even baked into crispy kale chips. It’s a delicious way to enjoy fresh greens.

• Q: When is the best time to plant these heirloom kale seeds? A: The best times to plant Red Russian Kale seeds are in early spring after the last frost for a summer harvest, or in late summer/early fall for a continuous harvest through autumn and into winter in many regions. It thrives in cooler weather.

• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Red Russian Kale is very cold-hardy and can often survive light to moderate frosts, sometimes even improving in flavor after a chill. In colder zones, it may overwinter if protected with row covers or mulch. It is generally suitable for USDA zones 3-9.

• Q: What type of soil does Red Russian Kale prefer? A: This kale variety thrives in fertile, well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0) is ideal for healthy growth and nutrient absorption for your Brassica oleracea seeds.

• Q: Is Red Russian Kale self-pollinating? A: Yes, like most Brassica species, Red Russian Kale is self-pollinating, meaning a single plant can produce seeds without needing another plant for cross-pollination. However, cross-pollination with other kale varieties can occur if they are grown nearby.