All Stars Kale is a thoughtfully engineered blend of Russian and Asian kale varieties, developed by innovative breeder Tim Peters through a specialized cross-pollination technique that combines two distinct Brassica species. This 60-day cultivar delivers a stunning mix of leaf shapes, colors, and textures that vary from plant to plant, creating visual interest in both garden beds and on the plate. Hardy from zones 3 to 10 and reaching 24 inches tall, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and matures quickly enough to fit into most growing seasons.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
24in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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All Stars Kale emerges from an elegant breeding approach: Peters used bud pollination to merge the sturdier Russian kales with the glossier, more delicate qualities of Asian greens and mustards, producing a single seed packet that yields surprising diversity. Each plant grows into its own unique expression, with varying leaf structures and colors that make succession plantings feel like growing an entire collection rather than a monoculture. The 60-day harvest window and frost tolerance mean you can push plantings into cool fall weather when other greens fade.
All Stars Kale is grown for fresh harvest as a cooking green and salad leaf. The variable leaf textures within a single planting mean you can select tender, delicate leaves for raw preparations or coarser leaves for cooking down into braises, soups, and sautés. The diversity of forms makes it appealing to gardeners who want to explore how the same plant can perform different culinary roles depending on which leaves you choose to harvest.
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Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost or 12-14 weeks before your first fall frost, using soil temperatures between 50-75°F for germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they develop 2-3 true leaves and nighttime temperatures stay above 40°F.
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant to the garden when soil is workable in spring (or 12-14 weeks before the first fall frost) at 12-inch spacing with 18 inches between rows. Water thoroughly after transplanting.
Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring or mid-summer for fall harvest, planting when soil temperature is between 50-75°F.
Begin harvesting All Stars Kale at 60 days from planting. Harvest outer leaves first, working from the bottom of the plant upward, leaving the growing center intact so the plant continues producing. Leaves are ready when they reach full size and feel tender; with the variable maturity across plants, some leaves will be harvestable before others on the same plant. Cut or pinch leaves rather than tearing them to avoid damaging the plant.
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“All Stars Kale began as "Gulag Stars," a project by plant breeder Tim Peters to explore what happens when you intentionally blend two related but separate Brassica species. Using a technique called bud pollination, Peters crossed Brassica napus kale varieties (the hardy Russian types) with Brassica rapa varieties (the glossier mustards and Asian greens). The method is almost alchemical in its approach, allowing genetic material from two distinct species to merge within a single seed. This deliberate cross created something that had never been grown before: a kale packet where no two plants are quite alike, a living expression of controlled botanical unpredictability.”