Description
Packed with essential vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, Red Russian Kale Baby Greens are a nutrient-dense powerhouse for your diet. These frilly, dark green leaves with striking reddish-purple veins are easy to grow and can be harvested at their peak of flavor in just 25 to 30 days. Ideal for indoor gardening during winter or outdoor growing in cooler temperatures, these baby greens thrive in containers and small spaces. No thinning required, and with continuous sowing every two weeks, you can enjoy fresh greens year-round.
Botanical Name: Brassica napus
Days to Maturity: 25–30 days
Family: Brassicaceae
Native: Unknown
Hardiness: Biennial grown as an annual, kale is very cold hardy and may overwinter in milder climates.
Variety Information: Small, frilly, dark green leaves with reddish purple veins and stems.
When to Sow Outside: 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 40°F; ideally 50°-70°F. Successive Sowings: Every 2 weeks until 2 weeks before the first fall frost.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. Sow indoors any time of year, with indoor temperatures 60°-75°F. Successive Sowings: Every 2 weeks for a continual supply. Transplanting baby greens is not recommended because they are so quick to harvest. Transplanting will slow growth and may cause plants to bolt (prematurely flower).
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: 1/8″–¼”
Seed Spacing: ¾”
Thinning: Not required
Harvesting: When seedlings emerge, the first pair of leaves to show are the cotyledons, which can look very different from the leaves that follow, called “true” leaves. 'Red Russian' kale baby greens are ready to harvest 25 to 30 days after sowing, when they have true leaves at 2″-4″. Cool growing temperatures may slow germination and growth. For the freshest and most healthful baby greens, harvest them directly from their growing container as needed by cutting just above the soil line. For more than one harvest (up to 3 before flavor declines) leave about 1/2″ of leafy growth on the small plants so they can regenerate.
This packet sows up to three 10″x20″ flats. 1,150 seeds in the packet.
