Kale- Red
Brassica napus
Red kale, like other kales, is a cool season biennial crop, typically grown as an annual. It is very similar in appearance to red Russian kale, but with a deeper red hue, and striking green/purple undersides. This gorgeous crimson stunner, boasts all of the amazing health benefits of other kales (vitamins, A, C, K, B6, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese), but with the addition of lycopene and anthocyanins, which lend it the deeper red color. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, and anthocyanins are said to protect the liver, improve eyesight, and reduce blood pressure! You absolutely have to see this beautiful plant. You won't want to even eat it, but trust me you want to.
One of my favorite ways to plant kale, is to draw a line in the soil, at proper planting depth (1/2"), and sprinkle the seeds in about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, the entire row. As the plants grow, and begin to crowd each other, I begin to thin by harvesting out entire plants, about every other one. Baby kale plants, taste amazing. I will continue to take out every other plant or two, about every week, until I reach proper plant spacing. At that time, I begin to harvest the biggest leaves off the remaining plants, until the season is over.
| Days to germination |
3-10 days |
| Days to maturity |
45-55 days |
| Life cycle |
biennial |
| Plant time/Harvest |
Plant seeds outdoors any time if night temperatures are 75 or lower. Harvest late fall through early summer |
| Spacing |
10-18 in. |
| Sun |
full sun or part shade |
| Soil temperature |
45-85 degrees F. |
| Optimum soil P.H |
6.0-7.5 |
| Height |
18-30 in. |
