Scarlet Kale is a heavily curled, open-pollinated red kale that grows 24, 36 inches tall and reaches harvest in just 50, 55 days from transplants. This striking variety deepens from red-purple to an almost black purple as temperatures cool, transforming your garden into a visual centerpiece while delivering extraordinary nutritional density. Hardy from zones 3, 10, it thrives in containers and beds alike, rewarding gardeners with tender, frilly leaves that improve in flavor after light frost. Unlike many kales, Scarlet Kale's color intensifies in cooler weather, making it exceptionally beautiful as summer fades into fall.
Full Sun
High
3-10
36in H x 24in W
—
Moderate
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The leaves shift from vibrant red-purple to deep, almost black purple as the weather cools, creating a dramatic color show in your garden that few vegetables can match. One grower's 2020 testing found Scarlet Kale delivered nearly as much vitamin C as oranges, more than any other kale variety they evaluated that year. Its compact, bushy form and heavily ruffled texture make it as stunning in an edible landscape mixed with ornamentals as it is on the dinner plate, while its cold hardiness means you'll harvest into late fall, even after light frosts sweeten the leaves.
Scarlet Kale shines raw in salads where its deep color and tender leaves make a dramatic statement, or blended into fresh juices to boost nutritional value. The heavily curled texture traps dressings beautifully, and its complex flavor deepens after frost, making it especially rewarding for fresh applications where you can appreciate both its appearance and taste. Its remarkable vitamin C content and antioxidant density have earned it recognition as a true superfood in contemporary nutrition circles.
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Sow seeds in a seed-starting mix at 70, 75°F for germination, aiming to have seedlings ready to transplant within 4, 6 weeks. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and maintain soil temperature above 75°F until germination occurs, then reduce air temperature to around 60°F to encourage stockier growth. Sow 2 seeds per cell in 50, 72 cell plug flats or 3, 4 seeds per inch in 20-row flats for efficient production.
Transplant outdoors about 12, 18 inches apart in rows spaced 18, 36 inches apart, depending on desired final plant size. Time your transplanting for early spring or, more ideally, 4, 6 weeks before your first fall frost to allow the plants to establish before cooler weather arrives. Harden off seedlings gradually before moving them outdoors.
Direct sow seeds 1/4 inch deep into prepared garden beds or containers. Thin seedlings to appropriate spacing once they develop true leaves.
Begin harvesting about 2 months after planting by clipping individual leaves from the bottom of the plant upward, leaving the terminal bud (the growing center at the top) intact to keep the plant productive. Harvest leaves at any size, though younger leaves are more tender; for maximum harvests throughout the season, pick at the baby-leaf stage. Never remove more than one-third of the leaves at once. Harvest before hot, dry weather arrives, as this degrades quality. Cool weather and frost actually improve flavor, and Scarlet Kale will continue producing until temperatures drop to around 20°F. Row covers extend the season further.
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