- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
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Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 21–50 days
Family: Brassicaceae
Native: Europe
Hardiness: Biennial grown as an annual, kale is very cold hardy and may overwinter in milder climates.
Exposure: Full sun
Plant Dimensions: 18"–30" tall, 24" wide
Variety Info: Wavy, dark green leaves with reddish purple veins and stems.
Attributes: Frost Tolerant, Cold Tolerant
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: 1 to 2 weeks before your average last frost date, when soil temperature is above 45°F for spring/summer crop; 10 to 12 weeks before your average first fall frost date for fall crop; and in mild climates, fall for very early spring crop.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED: 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. For a fall crop, start 12 to 14 weeks before your average first fall frost date, transplanting after 4 to 6 weeks. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 65°–85°F.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ¼"
Seed Spacing: A group of 3 seeds every 18"
Row Spacing: 24"
Thinning: When 1" tall, thin to 1 every 18"
Your hardiness zone is
Growing Info
Harvesting: Outer leaves can be harvested as baby greens when 2"–3" tall, any time when full-sized beginning with the lowest, or the whole plant can be cut off at ground level at maturity. For fast regrowth, harvest up to only ⅓ of the plant at a time.
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Edibles for Partial Shade- Kat C.CA, United StatesRated 5 out of 5 stars11/8/25Garden MVP
I got these as part of a seed bundle. I'm growing them in containers and harvesting leaves every week. They also grew quite fast with a good germination rate. Great flavor, but luckily the cabbage moths don't seem to enjoy them. If you're looking for a delicious easy win in the garden, give this kale a try.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerWho do you grow for? YourselfHow do you prefer to grow? ContainerBIBotanical Interests11/8/25Hey Kat,
Thank you so much for the fantastic 5-star review! We're thrilled to hear that your Red Russian Kale Seeds are turning out to be such a garden MVP for you!
It's awesome that you're getting weekly harvests from your container setup - there's nothing quite like having a steady supply of fresh kale right at your fingertips. Red Russian is such a reliable performer, and it sounds like you're really maximizing its potential with that regular harvesting approach. The fast growth and good germination rate you experienced is exactly what we love to hear!
That's such a bonus that the cabbage moths are leaving your kale alone! Those little pests can be such a headache for brassica growers, so it's great when you find varieties that seem to fly under their radar. Red Russian does tend to be a bit more resilient against some common garden pests, which makes it such a fantastic choice for gardeners who want delicious greens without all the pest management drama.
Your description of it as a "delicious easy win" is spot-on - Red Russian Kale really does deliver that perfect combination of great flavor and low-maintenance growing that makes gardening so rewarding. Your experience will be super helpful for other gardeners looking for reliable container-friendly greens that actually taste amazing!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Albert & Pam N.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars2/7/255 Stars
Epic Gardening made it possible for me to garden with their stellar Birdie's Raised Beds and excellent seed options, like Red Russian Kale! Yum! Do yourself a favor--get a 30" raised bed! Best decision I ever made! Thank You, Epic Gardening!!!
- Krunkton B.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1/17/255 Stars
I received the red kale seeds thinking that the kale would grow red but they didn't. Although the kale grew green, the kale was still good and healthy as a snack or used in a kale wrap (like a lettuce wrap but with kale). It's also health when used in smoothies with an apple and some whey protein. It took 8 to grown.
- Sidney S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars12/4/245 Stars
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- Kevin B.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars11/8/245 Stars
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