Westland Half-Dwarf Curly untreated Kale - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Brassica oleracea acephala

The Westland Dwarf Curly Kale is a highly ornamental variety that produces beautiful, tender, and fragrant curly leaves in autumn. It is a cold-resistant kale that can be sown from March to June for a harvest from September to December.

Curly Kale, also known as Green Kale, Egret Cabbage, Fringed Cabbage, or Lancini Cabbage, is a vegetable plant native to Europe and, more specifically, it is believed to be in the Mediterranean region. Like all Cabbages, it belongs to the large Brassicaceae family and has the Latin name Brassica oleracea acephala sabellica. The term acephala refers to the fact that it does not form a head or "cabbage".

These kales have large, fibrous, curly leaves ranging from pale green to dark green, sometimes slightly bluish. They are particularly resistant to colds, diseases, and even caterpillars. It should be noted that these kales are especially beautiful, especially under a light frost... to the point that some very small-sized varieties are grown solely to enhance autumn and winter flower beds.

These are biennial plants grown annually and are full of qualities in taste and nutrition. From a dietary point of view, they are remarkable: low in calories and very rich in vitamins K, A, and C, as well as calcium and beta-carotene.

The flavour of Curly Kale is pronounced. They are consumed cooked, mainly in soups, but also braised or stuffed. It is an excellent winter vegetable.

In the vegetable garden, the Westland Dwarf Curly Kale has the exact requirements as other kales: deep soil, excellent fertilisation, and regular moisture. It thrives in the sun.

Harvest: It is harvested leaf by leaf, as needed. In spring, you can harvest the floral shoots before they bloom and consume them like broccoli.

Storage: It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days and in the freezer for several months after being blanched for a few minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: To limit watering, we recommend that you mulch the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves, once the plants are well established. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces weed growth.

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