Red Russian Kale Seeds (Organic)

Red Russian Kale (Brassica napus, Pabularia group) is a gourmet heirloom with red-purple veins on slate-green, wavy-margined leaves. Cool weather intensifies its color and the tender leaves turn even sweeter after frost.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Brassica napus (Pabularia group)
• Type: Organic heirloom kale, biennial grown as an annual
• Days to maturity: 50 to 65 days
• Sun: Partial sun to full sun
• Planting depth: 1/4 to 1/2 inch
• Spacing after thinning: 16 inches
• Height at maturity: 24 to 28 inches
• Approx. seeds per pack: 250 (about 41,043 per 1/4 lb bulk)

Best for

• Fresh salads with tender leaves
• Light steaming and garnishes
• Adding to soups at the end of cooking
• Fall and winter harvests sweetened by frost
• Ornamental and productive garden beds

How to grow

Sow 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep at a soil temperature of 45 to 95°F, with germination in 5 to 18 days. Grow in partial to full sun, thinning to 16 inches apart. Harvest leaves continuously through the season; cool weather deepens the color and sweetens the flavor.

Flavor profile

Mild and sweet with a tender texture, growing sweeter after a frost.

About Grow Organic

Grow Organic, the online home of Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, has served organic gardeners and small-scale farmers with seeds, tools, and soil amendments from Grass Valley, California since 1976.