Kale, Red Russian
(Brassica napus) This variety of kale is smooth with green leaves that contrast with pink and red stems and veins. It is sweeter and more tender than many kale varieties and gets even more so after the initial frost of the winter season. It is incredibly cold hardy and was one of our few plants that survived the harsh winter ice storm in Oregon in 2024. Red Russian Kale is unsurprisingly from Siberia, but initial varieties seem to have originated in the Mediterranean. Kale in general was a diet staple in many areas of Europe. Kale became synonymous with food in general in some Scots dialects, and there is even a saying in Scottish “to be off one’s kail,” which means you feel too sick to eat anything.
Planting suggestions: Sow seeds at a depth of ¼-½”. For baby kale make rows 2-6 feet apart and sow around 60 seeds per foot in a 2 ft band. For full size make rows 18-36” apart and plant a few seeds every foot. Thin to 1 plant per foot once the plants have a few of their true leaves.
Contains 50 seeds.
