Curly Kale Scarlet

Curly Kale Scarlet — variety description

Curly Kale Scarlet (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is an annual vegetable of the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Scarlet kale produces highly ornamental, dark green leaves with red veins that show more colour as colder weather approaches.

This superb curly kale makes tasty salad leaves when young, or can be grown to maturity for winter, when fresh vegetables are scarce in the garden.

Mature plants show excellent winter hardiness and stand up well even in the harshest weather for a long harvest season. Reaches a height of about 90 cm.

Kale, or curly cabbage, is high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, iron and antioxidants. It is a source of two carotenoids - lutein and zeaxanthin.

Kale (curly cabbage) is a superfood for the garden — rich in vitamins K, C and A, frost-hardy and productive from summer to winter.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 91%
• Seeds per packet: 255–345 pcs (1 g)
• Seed origin: Italy
• Sowing: February – May; seedlings or direct
• Harvest: January and October – December
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Curly Kale Scarlet

Curly Kale Scarlet seeds are sown in February – May. Harvest in January and October – December. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Curly Kale Scarlet

• Sowing method: seedlings or direct
• Depth: 1 cm
• Spacing: 40–50 cm
• Germination: 5–10 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Sow seeds in April and May in a seedbed. Sprinkle seeds in shallow drills, leaving 15 cm. between the rows. Around July, when the young plants are about 10-15 cm tall, transplant them to their permanent growing position. Dig a planting hole and replant fairly deeply, spacing the plants about 45 cm apart. apart. Water well. Harvest from October to February. You can pick individual leaves or cut off the main head, but leave the plants in place, as they will regrow.

Plant in rich soil; water regularly. Tolerates frosts down to −15 °C, and the cold makes it sweeter.

Harvest and use

Pick the lower leaves one at a time — the plant keeps growing and crops for months.

Frequently asked questions

When should Curly Kale Scarlet be sown?

The recommended sowing months are February – May. Sowing method: seedlings or direct.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 255–345 seeds, pack size 1 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 91%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

Can kale overwinter in the garden?

Yes — it tolerates frosts and yields leaves through most of the winter.