Red Russian Kale
Red Russian Kale is a deeply lobed, oak-like leaves brassica with fruit around 8-12 inch leaves. Ready from roughly day 50-65. Germination takes 5-10 days. Space 12-18 inches apart at pH 6.0-7.5. Full sun to partial shade (4-8 hours). It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Direct sow ½ inch deep in early spring or late summer. Can also start indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-8 hours)
- Water
- High — consistent moisture needed
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.5
- Spacing
- 12-18 inches
- Height
- 4 feet
- Season
- Warm season annual
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Blue-green leaves with purple stems and veins
- Size
- 8-12 inch leaves
- Shape
- Deeply lobed, oak-like leaves
- Flavour
- Mild, sweet, and tender with less bitterness than common kale
In the kitchen
Excellent raw in salads, smoothies, sautéing, soups, and chips. Baby leaves perfect for microgreens.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles
- Diseases
- Clubroot, black rot, downy mildew
- Resistance
- Good cold tolerance and moderate disease resistance
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | July – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | June – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | June – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | May – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | April – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | March – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 35
- Protein (g)
- 2.92
- Fat (g)
- 1.49
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 4.42
- Fibre (g)
- 4.1
- Sugars (g)
- 0.99
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 241
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 93.4
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.66
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 390
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.147
- Folate (µg)
- 62
- Calcium (mg)
- 254
- Iron (mg)
- 1.6
- Magnesium (mg)
- 33
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 55
- Potassium (mg)
- 348
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.39
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.9
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Red Russian Kale?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Red Russian Kale suits these too.
- Snow Crown 50 days
- Contender Green Beans 49 days
- Minuet 48 days
- Citrus 54 days
- Green Goliath Broccoli 55 days
- Red Giant Mustard 45 days