Vates Blue Curled Scotch Kale Vegetables Seeds - West Coast Seeds

PRODUCT DETAILS

Sow slow-bolting Vates Blue Curled Scotch kale seeds in early spring for summer harvests, or July for fall and winter harvests. Vates is a low-growing dwarf type with finely curled blue-green leaves. It's suitable for large containers (minimum five gallons) for patio growing. It grows to only 30-40cm (12-16"") tall, and about 60cm (24"") in diameter. Like most kale varieties, it's especially tender and sweet after a light frost.

• Matures in 50-80 days [slower in winter]. (Open-pollinated seeds)
• Finely curled blue-green leaves
• Especially tender after frost
• Grows to only 30-40cm (12-16"") tall
• Open-pollinated seeds
• Matures in 50-80 days

All About Vates Blue Curled Scotch

Latin

Brassica oleracea var. acephala
Family: Brassicaceae

Difficulty

Easy

Season & Zone

Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Winter hardy to Zone 6.

Timing

Direct sow in early spring to mid-summer for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30°C (50-85°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting

Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36″) apart.

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ¼ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10′) of seed furrow.

Harvest

Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they mature—plants will keep producing all season. Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Diseases & Pests

Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Companion Planting

All Brassicas benefit from chamomile, dill, mint, rosemary, and sage. Avoid planting near eggplants, peppers, potatoes, or tomatoes, as the acidic soil these plants thrive in can cause problems for Brassicas.