Kale and Collards

Champion Collards

This really cold-hardy member of the cabbage family is grown for cooked greens. Compact, handsome plants with dark-green cabbagey-looking thick leaves are borne on short stems. They are gathered all winter and can be steamed, boiled, or stir-fried well into spring.
Matures in 60-80 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Improved Siberian

(Brassica rapus ssp. pabularia)

Flat, broad, deeply-cut, dark-green leaves grow on long, succulent, sweet stalks. Plants grow large, hardy rosettes about 60cm (24") in diameter at maturity. A big vigorous kale.
Matures in 50 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Lacinato

The most elegant Heirloom vegetable you will ever see, the long, dark blue-green leaves shoot from the central stem like ostrich feathers. A stunning addition to the ornamental vegetable garden, it grows 1m (3') tall with deeply blistered, strap-like leaves that are frost hardy and tender eating.
Matures in 65 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Osaka Pink Hybrid

Although the edible kales are striking in the garden all winter, you may want to try your hand at this ornamental one as a display at the front of your flower beds or in containers for the porch or balcony. We list them in this section because they are grown just like their edible counterparts and they are subject to the same pests too. Purchased plants in pots will be root bound and will not get any larger as the fall progresses whereas your plants in the garden can get up to 45cm or more acaross. Start them in late June by sowing a short row of seeds spaced 6cm (2") apart. When the plants are 10cm (4") tall transplant them to stand about 45cm (18") apart. Give them lime and very rich soil. Since these are grown for their looks, use Bt or flowing row cover to keep the caterpillars off. The inner leaves will begin to develop their pink, red, or white shades as soon as the temperature gets below 10 degrees Celsius.

Osaka Red Hybrid

Although the edible kales are striking in the garden all winter, you may want to try your hand at this ornamental one as a display at the front of your flower beds or in containers for the porch or balcony. We list them in this section because they are grown just like their edible counterparts and they are subject to the same pests too. Purchased plants in pots will be root bound and will not get any larger as the fall progresses whereas your plants in the garden can get up to 45cm or more acaross. Start them in late June by sowing a short row of seeds spaced 6cm (2") apart. When the plants are 10cm (4") tall transplant them to stand about 45cm (18") apart. Give them lime and very rich soil. Since these are grown for their looks, use Bt or flowing row cover to keep the caterpillars off. The inner leaves will begin to develop their pink, red, or white shades as soon as the temperature gets below 10 degrees Celsius.

Osaka White Hybrid

Although the edible kales are striking in the garden all winter, you may want to try your hand at this ornamental one as a display at the front of your flower beds or in containers for the porch or balcony. We list them in this section because they are grown just like their edible counterparts and they are subject to the same pests too. Purchased plants in pots will be root bound and will not get any larger as the fall progresses whereas your plants in the garden can get up to 45cm or more acaross. Start them in late June by sowing a short row of seeds spaced 6cm (2") apart. When the plants are 10cm (4") tall transplant them to stand about 45cm (18") apart. Give them lime and very rich soil. Since these are grown for their looks, use Bt or flowing row cover to keep the caterpillars off. The inner leaves will begin to develop their pink, red, or white shades as soon as the temperature gets below 10 degrees Celsius.

Rainbow Lacinato Organic

A cheerful cross of beloved Lacinato with the super cold hardy Redbor produces these CERTIFIED ORGANIC, multicoloured plants with mostly the strap-like leaves of the Lacinato and the colouring of the Redbor. It is slower to bolt and more productive than Lacinato. Gathered in bunches, you will get some with blue green leaves, some purple leaves, some curly edges, some with red veins - enjoy cooking this colourful bouquet all winter long.
Matures in 65 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Red Russian

(Brassica rapus ssp. pabularia)

Flat, toothed, grey-green leaves with purple stems and veins really brighten after frosts. Tender for salads and good for bunching, the red and purple hues turn a rich, dark green colour when cooked. It may be richer in vitamins and minerals than other greens and is very disease resistant. Heirloom.
Matures in 50 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Redbor

This tightly curled, dark red kale is a striking addition to salads and salad blends. Vigorous and cold-resistant like other kales, plalnts are 45-60cm (18-24") tall and deep mahogany red throughout. Redbor kale are beautiful in flower arrangements and a wonderful ornamental plant.
Matures in 50 days. (hybrid seeds)

Tronchuda

Rounder leaves than collards with a distinctive bluish green colour and prominent white midribs. Thick leaves with a flavour that hangs between Scots kale and cabbage. Couve Tronchuda is, in fact, unique enough that it is considered a separate variety: Brassica oleracea var. costata. Use it to make caldo verde, the traditional Portuguese soup, or as a general substitute for cabbage. This old HEIRLOOM variety is winter hardy and improved by frost.
Matures in 55 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Note: a misprint in our 2012 catalogue lists Tronchuda with the incorrect item number. The correct item number is KL435.

Vates Blue Curled Scots

Sow this slow-bolting Scottish type kale in early spring or July for fall and winter harvests. Vates is a low-growing dwarf type with finely curled blue-green leaves. Grows to only 30-40cm (12-16") tall, and about 60cm (24") in diameter. Especially tender after a light frost.
Matures in 50-80 days. (open pollinated seeds)

Winter Kale Blend

Our premium blend of our most popular cold-hardy winter kale for sowing mid-summer and harvest throughout the late fall and winter. When other vegetables crumble and wilt, these workhorses keep on producing!

Winterbor

Hybrid vigour really shows in this Scottish kale. Plants are very tall and extremely productive with thick, very curly, ruffled, blue-green leaves. When small, it allows for multiple pickings for salads; later, the large plant handles winter well. This is our most frost hardy variety.
Matures in 60 days. (hybrid seeds)