Variety field guide
What to expect from Red Russian Kale
Red Russian Kale is a biennial kale selection grown for leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Red Russian Kale seeds produce a cold-tolerant kale with flat, deeply cut leaves, purple stems, and tender young growth. Red Russian Kale performs best when the crop is timed for cool weather, established in fertile, well-drained soil, and kept growing without drought checks. Baby leaf, salads, fall harvest, cold weather, and repeated cutting are where this variety earns its place.
About Red Russian Kale
Red Russian Kale is a biennial selection of kale, with a rosette habit and an expected height or spread of 25–30 in. It is best suited to leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Notable traits include red coloring; broad frilled leaves; mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing.
When growing Red Russian Kale, judge the whole planting for trueness to type instead of selecting conclusions from one unusually large or early plant.
History and provenance
Siberian and Russian kale types are often maintained within Brassica napus rather than Brassica oleracea. That species distinction affects crossing relationships and is more important for seed saving than a broad marketing label such as kale. Red Russian is a long-circulating Brassica napus kale type. The common name reflects seed-trade history, not a complete record of every selection behind modern lots. The common name reflects seed-trade history, not a complete record of every selection behind modern lots.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Brassica napus L. Pabularia Group |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Biennial |
| Maturity | 60-69 Days |
| Germination | 5-10 Days at 50–65 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/4 in |
| Plant height / spread | 25–30 in |
| Growth habit | Rosette |
| Spacing | 18 in between plants; 30 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Red Russian Kale from seed
Sow 1/4 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 5-10 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 50–65 °F. Germination preparation: Start in clean seed-starting mix when season length requires it, then transplant at a sturdy but not root-bound stage. Light requirement: Cover evenly to 1/4 in. Soaking: None required. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required.
Planting and care
Plant during spring/Fall and provide full sun. Space plants 18 in apart with 30 in between rows. Use loamy with a pH near 6.0–6.5, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Semi-Hardy. Medium to large container or in-ground bed; avoid crowding
Harvest and use
Approximately 60-69 Days, from transplanting to the primary market harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Broad frilled leaves. Uses: Leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Flavor: mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing. Seed saving: Insect-pollinated Brassica napus. Best uses include leaves or swollen stems, repeated harvest, cool weather, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality: mild to robust brassica flavor that improves with careful timing.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Red Russian Kale plants that match the expected rosette habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated Brassica napus. Compatible Brassica napus crops can cross. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Red Russian Kale is a biennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Flea beetles, imported cabbageworm, cabbage loopers, aphids, slugs, root maggots, and clubroot risk where the pathogen is present. Management: Use rotation, insect netting before pests arrive, regular leaf inspection, sanitation, and well-drained soil. Do not plant the same brassica family repeatedly in one bed. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions - Red Russian Kale
When is Red Russian Kale ready? Use 60-69 Days. Approximately 60-69 Days, from transplanting to the primary market harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date.
How long does germination take? Expect 5-10 Days at about 50–65 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence.
How large does it grow? Expect about 25–30 in with a rosette habit. Space plants 18 in apart and rows 30 in apart. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container? Medium to large container or in-ground bed; avoid crowding Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture.
Can I save seed? Insect-pollinated Brassica napus. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
