Red Russian Kale
Price: $2.95
SKU: 321003160 days — Once a fairly rare variety only circulated among seed saving gardeners, 'Red Russian' kale has become a popular commercial variety. Synonyms attributed to this variety include, 'Russian Red', 'Canadian Broccoli', 'Ragged Jack' and 'Buda'.[1] Its reddish colored, frilly leaves have purple veins and deliver an excellent flavor. The plants are quite frost tolerant.
As plant historians, we seek factual, documentary evidence before we publish a variety's history. 'Red Russian' kale is one of those varieties whose history, to date, remains elusive. Although some seed sellers describe interesting and colorful "stories" about is dating to pre-1885 Canadian fur traders, we have not been able to locate supporting evidence. What we do know is that it started appearing in the United States in about 1984 among seed savers and its popularity has grown from there. Each packet contains one gram, which is approximately 250 seeds.
Planting Instructions: Kale grows best in cool weather. When established, it will tolerate frost. Can be sown in garden as soon as danger of hard frost is past.
Sow seeds ½ inches deep, one inch apart, in rows 24 inches apart. Cover with loose soil. Thin plants to about twelve inches. Avoid disease by not planting where other Brassica (cole crops) plants have grown in the past year or two.
Provides a continuous supply of tasty leaves if you pick from the bottom up. It is cold hardy and the flavors become sweeter and more complex after a hard frost.
- "Garden Seed Inventory: Sixth Edition," Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, 2004.
Customer Reviews:
By Roswitha Heady on February 20, 2021
This Russian Kale practically grew itself. I'm in Florida zone 9/10 - I planted in late fall and was thrilled to see how decorative the leaves are - plant porn :) a unique blue and purplish green. Can't wait to make my first batch of Kale chips, lovely in a salad and tasty in soup.
A definite winner - will seed again, it is not often that I find veggies that do well in the Tampa Bay area, hopefully they will last until May before the heat kills everything.
By Beth Miller on March 16, 2019
I have grown this variety for a few years. I have mini-hoop houses that I use over my raised beds but had never attempted to keep this growing all winter until 2018-2019. We have had some stretches of very cold weather-teens or single-digit days with -20F nights. I never expected this kale to survive but it has! Now that we are nearly into Spring, it has rejuvenated itself and has taken off again! Great variety and extremely hardy!
By Evan Cooper on June 28, 2018
This Kale is tender, flavorful, and amazingly prolific. I cannot praise it highly enough. If you love kale, then this is what you want to grow. My harvest from two plants is staggering, and it is tender and delicious. You can eat this fresh or cooked. One of my plants decided to send out a second main stem, and my harvest was instantly doubled. I am so happy with this variety. GROW IT!
By Bonnie Bright on July 11, 2014
In just the right spot this variety from Victory Seed Co. lasted five seasons! Very tender and very sweet especially following a frost. Seeds remained viable until I ran out (3 years). I attribute this to packaging by Victory Seeds in one of their packs we purchased.
By James Brandalise on January 6, 2014
This Kale is delicious. So tender & sweet you can eat it right off the plant--perfect for salads. And it looks simply beautiful too; a gorgeous red & green coloring.
By Amber Schooley on June 27, 2013
This is the first kale I have ever grown. I planted it in January and produced through May. By March and April it was producing all we could use on only two plants. Delicious in kale chips.
By kay peacock on November 22, 2011
I have never grow kale before and was so suprised how well this grew. I started growing kale for one reason soup! And it was wonderful so full of flavor! And now we are eating it in salads!
By Antoinette Miller on September 6, 2011
I grew this kale and was still picking leaves off the 6 plants I had for 4 months! I had no problems with pests, except a short battle with slugs that I quickly got under control. I like it cooked but love it fresh in salads & even used in place of lettuce for sandwiches!
