Red Russian Kale

Durgan · April 12, 2013

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UGXZL 12 April 2013 Red Russian Kale
Four red Russian kale plants placed in separate containers to strengthen the roots for about two weeks before planting in the outdoor garden. This gives two types of Kale (8 plants), which is ample for my needs. Kale is a prolific producer.

RayR · April 12, 2013

Love that Red Russian Kale! I let 3 plants overwinter in 2011 and last summer they got HUGE! and flowered and I collected thousands of seeds. I took all the dried pods after I was done collecting the seed and mulched some tomato plants with them, but I guess I missed a bunch of seed because I had a whole mess of Red Russian growing around those tomato plants.
They are still there, so I guess I'll have to weed them out this spring.

BucksCountyGirl · April 12, 2013

I also love Red Russian! I winter sowed some seed in January and now I have some beautiful tender heads that I am using as "cut and come again". It is by far our favorite out of the kale varieties I have grown.

rxkeith · April 12, 2013

red russian kale is a favorite here too. we also let kale go to seed. the ones that survive deer chewing them to the ground provide some spring greens, and yes, thousands of seeds. we get volunteers every year. some stay where they are, others get moved, or harvested for tender greens or for the chickens. our neighbor has grown some monster kale with the help of their sheep manure. plants got to be near 4 ft tall.

keith

livinonfaith · April 13, 2013

I always get confused about the name. My kale is pretty much the same thing, but I think it came to me as Ragged Jack. (Honestly, I can't remember)

Anyway, it is the best kale I've ever had. We've cut leaves from them all Winter and right now they are still flourishing and covered with florets. Last week I cut off a bunch of the floret stalks, sauteed them with fresh herbs and sausage, and threw them over pasta.

Yum! Super tasty! Easily as good, or maybe better than, broccoli!

RayR · April 13, 2013

Ragged Jack is another name for Red Russian.
I never tried the florets, I'll have to give that a try!

livinonfaith · April 13, 2013

Ray, I cut them off when they are still fairly small, before they open, when they are still around an inch or so across. You can keep three or four inches of the stalk and the leaves, as well. (I do pull off any larger leaves and cut them up) They are nice and tender that way.

They are also tasty raw. Try one! If you like kale, I bet you'll like the florets!

Deborah · April 13, 2013

I like raw kale too. One of these days I intend to oven dry some for chips. I really need to get off my chips addiction.

April 12, 2013	#1
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	Red Russian Kale http://www.durgan.org/URL/?UGXZL 12 April 2013 Red Russian Kale Four red Russian kale plants placed in separate containers to strengthen the roots for about two weeks before planting in the outdoor garden. This gives two types of Kale (8 plants), which is ample for my needs. Kale is a prolific producer.

April 12, 2013	#3
BucksCountyGirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Holland, PA/Zone 7A Posts: 692	I also love Red Russian! I winter sowed some seed in January and now I have some beautiful tender heads that I am using as "cut and come again". It is by far our favorite out of the kale varieties I have grown. __________________ - Kelli Life's a climb...but the view is fantastic

April 12, 2013	#2
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Love that Red Russian Kale! I let 3 plants overwinter in 2011 and last summer they got HUGE! and flowered and I collected thousands of seeds. I took all the dried pods after I was done collecting the seed and mulched some tomato plants with them, but I guess I missed a bunch of seed because I had a whole mess of Red Russian growing around those tomato plants. They are still there, so I guess I'll have to weed them out this spring.

April 12, 2013	#4
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,846	red russian kale is a favorite here too. we also let kale go to seed. the ones that survive deer chewing them to the ground provide some spring greens, and yes, thousands of seeds. we get volunteers every year. some stay where they are, others get moved, or harvested for tender greens or for the chickens. our neighbor has grown some monster kale with the help of their sheep manure. plants got to be near 4 ft tall. keith

April 13, 2013	#5
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	I always get confused about the name. My kale is pretty much the same thing, but I think it came to me as Ragged Jack. (Honestly, I can't remember) Anyway, it is the best kale I've ever had. We've cut leaves from them all Winter and right now they are still flourishing and covered with florets. Last week I cut off a bunch of the floret stalks, sauteed them with fresh herbs and sausage, and threw them over pasta. Yum! Super tasty! Easily as good, or maybe better than, broccoli!

April 13, 2013	#8
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	I like raw kale too. One of these days I intend to oven dry some for chips. I really need to get off my chips addiction.