MICROGREENS Kale ‘Red Russian’ Seeds
Want to add a ‘pop’ of purple colour to your dishes, but don’t want a spicy, radish flavour? Kale Red Russian has a mild flavour that complements any dish.
Unlike mature kale, micro kale has a sweet and tender flavour. You know that kale is good for you, but you’ll never find it a chore to eat micro kale. There is no bitter taste or chewy leaves. It’s jam packed with nutrients and kale goodness – and yummy!
Red Russian kale is an easy to grow crop that is ready for harvest in less than 2 weeks. The seeds can be a little bit slower to germinate than broccoli or cabbage. Instead of popping their little heads up after a few days, kale can take 4-5 days to germinate. The reward for your patience is that kale produces a beautiful crop with a good yield. A 10 x 20′ tray will yield approx. 300 grams of living microgreens.
Kale is not fussy with the grow medium. Hydroponic, coir peat, hemp mats, or organic soil work a treat with this variety. At Seedmart, we grow this crop on hemp grow mats, with bottom watering. The crop is supercharged by using a small amount of Microgreen Plant Nutrient. We have found that the nutrient helps us get a better quality and yield from our microgreen crops.
How to Grow Kale Microgreens
- Pre-soak seeds: No presoaking required.
- Sow rate: Approx. 12 grams for a 10 x 10′ grow tray.
- Grow medium: hemp mats, soil, or coir peat.
- Seed germination temperature: 8-25°C.
- Method: If growing with soil, you’ll need to add 3-4 cm of soil and flatten the medium. Spread the seeds evenly over the soil. Press gently to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
- Watering: Water well with a spray mister. Ensure that the medium is damp but not waterlogged.
- Cover and germinate: Cover the tray with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in a well-ventilated area away from direct light. This helps in germination, usually taking 2-3 days.
- Weight the tray: Yes.
- Remove cover: Once the seeds have germinated, remove the cover and place the tray in a location with indirect sunlight or under grow lights.
- Watering: Water the microgreens lightly once or twice daily, ensuring the soil remains moist but not soggy.
- Harvest: Your red cabbage microgreens will be ready to harvest in approximately 8-14 days after sowing. Look for the first true leaves to appear, which indicate they are mature enough for harvest.
Harvesting involves cutting the microgreens just above the soil level using clean scissors or a sharp knife. Rinse them gently to remove any soil particles before consuming.
