Red Russian Kale is a beautiful heirloom leafy green prized for its tender texture, mild flavor, and striking blue-green leaves highlighted by reddish-purple veins. This nutrient-rich kale variety is beloved by gardeners and cooks alike for its versatility and easy growing habit.
Unlike many curly kale varieties, Red Russian Kale produces flat serrated leaves with a sweeter milder flavor that is excellent for fresh salads as well as cooked dishes. The tender leaves require little preparation and are perfect for sautéing, steaming, soups, smoothies, and stir-fries.
This hardy cool-weather crop thrives in spring and fall gardens and often becomes sweeter after light frosts. Red Russian Kale is highly productive and provides repeated harvests throughout the season, making it an excellent choice for homesteads, kitchen gardens, raised beds, and market growers.
Red Russian Kale Seed Details
- Quantity: 200 Seeds
- Plant Type: Heirloom Kale
- Leaf Color: Blue-Green with Reddish Purple Veins
- Flavor: Mild Sweet Earthy Flavor
- Growth Habit: Upright Leafy Growth
- Seed Planting Depth: 1/4 Inch
- Germination Temperature: 45-75°F
- Days to Germination: 5-12 Days
- Row Spacing: 24 Inches
- Plant Spacing: 15-18 Inches
- 100' Row Yield: 75 Pounds
- Sun Requirements: Full Sun
- Harvest Time: Approximately 56 Days
- Ideal Uses: Salads, Soups, Stir-Fries, Smoothies, Sautéing, Steaming, Raised Beds, Homesteads, Market Gardens
How to Save Seeds
Most kales belong to the Brassica oleracea family, which also includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. To maintain seed purity, separate different varieties by at least 1 mile.
Red Russian Kale is a biennial plant and will typically produce seeds during its second growing season. Mulch plants heavily over winter to help them survive colder temperatures.
In spring, the overwintered plants will send up tall flowering stalks followed by seed pods. Allow the pods to mature and dry fully on the plant before harvesting.
Once the seed pods are completely dry, collect them and remove the seeds by gently crushing the pods. Store cleaned seeds in labeled envelopes or airtight containers in a cool dry location until future planting.
