Red Russian untreated Kale - Brassica oleracea acephala

The Russian Red Kale, known as Katerina Red Russian, offers pretty tender, dentate leaves with violet veins. It is stunning in salads, where it adds a beautiful colourful note. It can be sown and harvested throughout the year.

A favourite of Americans, Kale is an ancient variety of green cabbage with exceptional nutritional values: it contains more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than a glass of milk. Low in calories, rich in minerals, and detoxifying, this cabbage, still relatively unknown in Europe, is on its way to finding a prominent place in our kitchens.

Sometimes known as Borécole Cabbage, Rabbit Cabbage or Cow Cabbage, this true nutritional phenomenon has a slightly tough, curly foliage that can vary from green to dark red. It does not form a head. It belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae) and has the Latin name Brassica oleracea acephala.

Once common on tables in the Middle Ages and then relegated to the ranks of forage crops, Kale has experienced a spectacular surge in popularity in the United States. It can be eaten raw in salads or quickly steamed and prepared in various ways: quickly sautéed, in gratins, in quiches, in purees... This “Super Food” can also be incorporated into various preparations like fruit smoothies. And if you're lacking inspiration, several recipe books are dedicated solely to this unique cabbage.

Kale is easy to grow as it requires little space and benefits from excellent hardiness (at least below 10 °C). It also seems to be more resistant to potential pest attacks. However, like almost all cabbages, it requires excellent organic fertilisation and regular moisture during its cultivation.

Harvest: It is done with a knife by taking the leaves from the outer part of the plant, which will continue to grow and produce new leaves. Kale can be harvested from the young leaf stage until ripeness.

Storage: This cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, but as it would be a shame to miss out on its vitamins, we recommend consuming it quickly after harvesting. It freezes well after being blanched for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's Tip: To reduce watering, we recommend, starting at the end of May, mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible, mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which helps keep the soil moist, also reduces weed growth.

The untreated or "NT" seeds come from conventionally cultivated plants (often with pesticides) but undergo no treatment after harvesting. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.