With deeply cut, slate green oak-like leaves ‘Red Russian’ is one of the tenderest and sweetest kales available. Sow under cover in autumn for baby leaves after four to six weeks, or directly outdoors for over-wintering. This hardy crop can provide nutritious leaves even in the depths of winter.
Until recently Cavolo Nero, or ‘Tuscan Kale’, was one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Simply adored, especially in the north of Italy, it has been an essential fare of traditional dishes for centuries. Cavolo Nero can now be found in garden markets, specialist greengrocers and trendy restaurants throughout Europe.
One of the tenderest kales available, with a sweeter taste than most traditional varieties, ‘Red Russian’ is delicious raw in salads and excellent used in stir-frying. It will grow to baby leaf in only 25 days, just add to lettuce to make your own mesclun mix. Organic Seeds. Some years ago, we knew kale as a hearty winter meal, suddenly its popularity soared and ‘Kale Madness’ erupted. Now available in all manner of shapes, sizes and colours. ‘Scarlet Curled’ Kale is a highly attractive and ultra-hardy variety, the leaves intensify in colour turning to violet-red after a few frosts.
One of the least problematic and hardiest plants in the Brassica tribe, Kale ‘Westland Winter’ is a medium early variety that typically grows 40 to 60cm tall, which makes it ideal for more exposed production areas. Organic Seeds.‘Black Magic’ is an improved Italian Black Kale, more cold tolerant, vigorous and slower-to-bolt than other Italian kales. They form an easy-to-harvest rosette of very dark, savoyed leaves with a flavour that is rich and mild.
Simply adored, especially in the north of Italy, Cavolo Nero is an extremely cold hardy kale that will tolerate conditions that would make most brassicas keel over. Thank heavens we have finally managed to locate Organic Seeds!