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Starbor F1 Kale - Brassica oleracea acephala

Brassica oleracea acephala Starbor F1
Kale

3,4/5
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Received a package with crumbs of seeds. Managed to salvage only 12 seeds out of 25. Thankfully, they have produced very beautiful plants.

Martine, 13/09/2019

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A superb compact and hardy variety, with very curly leaves, of a beautiful blue-green colour. It is a tasty Kale that you can grow all year round, indoors, on the windowsill for a harvest at the young shoot stage or in open ground.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
40 cm
Spread at maturity
45 cm
Soil moisture
Damp soil
Germination time (days)
7 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period January to December
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Harvest time January to December
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Description

The 'Starbor F1' Kale Cabbage is a superb, compact, hardy variety with curly, beautiful blue-green leaves. It is a tasty Kale that you can grow all year round, indoors on a windowsill or outdoors in the ground.

A favourite among Americans, Kale cabbage is an ancient green cabbage with exceptional nutritional value: it contains more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than a glass of milk. Low in calories and rich in minerals, this cabbage, still relatively unknown in Europe, is gaining popularity in our kitchens.

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

Once common on medieval tables but later relegated to animal feed, Kale has experienced a spectacular resurgence in the United States. It can be consumed raw in salads or quickly steamed and prepared in various ways: sautéed, in gratins, quiches, or mashed... This "Superfood" can also be incorporated into multiple preparations like fruit smoothies. And if you're lacking inspiration, several recipe books are dedicated solely to this unique cabbage.

Kale cabbage is easy to grow, requires little space, and has excellent hardiness (at least below -10 °C (14°F)). A-10 seems to be more resistant to potential pest attacks. However, it requires good fertilisation and regular moisture, like almost all cabbages.

NB: This variety is labeled F1 for "F1 labelled because it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This produces a variety that can be exceptionally flavourful and early while being resistant to diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are attractive for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations. Therefore, saving the seeds for future sowing will not be possible.

Harvest: It is done with a knife by removing 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 up to maturity.

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


Gardener's tip: To limit watering, starting from late May, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, ideally mixed with dead leaves. This protection helps keep the soil moist and also reduces weed growth.

Harvest

Harvest time January to December
Type of vegetable Leaf vegetable
Size of vegetable Medium
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Productive

Plant habit

Height at maturity 40 cm
Spread at maturity 45 cm
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour dark green

Botanical data

Genus

Brassica

Species

oleracea

Cultivar

acephala Starbor F1

Family

Brassicaceae

Other common names

Kale

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference23071

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Planting and care

Sowing:

The germination temperature for 'Kale Starbor' F1 Cabbage ranges from 7 to 29°C (44.6 to 84.2°F) and takes 4 to 7 days.

This variety can be grown indoors year-round for a harvest at the "young shoots" stage, which occurs between 30 and 60 days after sowing, depending on the season.

For a traditional outdoor cultivation, sowing is done from March to June. You can sow directly in place or prepare seedlings that will then be planted in their final position in the garden.

Preparing Seedlings: Under a heated shelter, from late autumn to late winter or in a cold greenhouse or propagator in the garden for the rest of the year, sow the Kale seeds to a depth of 1 cm (0in) in a good seed compost. Lightly cover with compost or vermiculite. Don't forget to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged!

When the young plants appear strong enough to handle, transplant them into pots if necessary and, for sowing under a heated shelter, gradually acclimatise them to cooler temperatures before transplanting them into the garden when there is no longer any risk of frost.

Direct Sowing: In properly amended and finely worked soil, make furrows about one centimetre deep, spaced 20/25 cm (8/10in) apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil. When the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, keeping only one plant every 60 cm (24in).

 

Cultivation:

Kale is grown in full sun or partial shade. It is a nutrient-demanding vegetable that requires well-rotted, nitrogen-rich and potassium-rich soil. Applying a generous amount of mature compost (about 3/4 kg per m2) is advisable by scratching the soil to a depth of 5 cm (2in), preferably in autumn after loosening the soil, as is done for all vegetable crops. It is not very tolerant of soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually raise the pH by adding calcium as dolomite or lime.

Kale is beneficial when planted alongside many vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce... But avoid planting it next to other Brassicas and zucchini, fennel, lamb's lettuce, leeks, and strawberries.

 

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Seedlings

Sowing period January to December
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 7 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet
Disease resistance Good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 192
3,4/5
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