Red Russian Kale (Brassica napus var. pabularia)
1 sources cited · Verified
The short answer
- Site
- 6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–7.5
- Biggest risk
- Black rot of brassicas
Red russian kales (Brassica napus var. pabularia) — biennial grown as an annual.
This crop carries an unusually heavy problem load: 4 diseases, 5 pests and 0 nutrient issues are documented for it, so most of the effort in growing it well goes into prevention.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Diseases
Pests
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 7.5 |
| Sunlight | 6-6 hours direct sun |
| Soil texture | loam or sand (RHS) |
| Drainage | well-drained |
| Lifecycle | biennial grown as an annual |
| Edible parts | leaves |
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Water: fertile, moist but well-drained (RHS)
Soil pH range
Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing | 0 | Sow indoors in mid-spring (RHS). |
| Transplanting | 3 | Transplant outdoors May-July, in rows 60cm apart, into fertile, moist but well-drained soil (RHS). |
| Leaf growth | 4 | Deeply cut, frilled leaves develop with distinctive purple veining; can be picked cut-and-come-again from this stage (RHS). |
| Harvest | 8 | Pick young leaves for salads or mature leaves for cooking; remove yellowing leaves as the only maintenance needed (RHS). |
Harvest & Storage
When to pick: Can be harvested cut-and-come-again for tender young salad leaves, or left to mature for cooking; pick individual leaves as needed, leaving the growing point to keep producing (RHS).
Red Russian Kale, Seedling to Harvest
References
-
Red Russian Siberian kale is Brassica napus, the Pabularia Group -- a different species from the Brassica oleracea kales (curly kale, Lacinato) already grown on this site. Hardiness H7 (hardy in severest European continental climates, below -20C). Full sun; south or west-facing aspect; sheltered exposure. Soil: loam or sand; well-drained; acid/alkaline/neutral pH. Height 0.5-1m, spread 0.1-0.5m. Sow indoors in mid-spring; transplant outdoors May-July in rows 60cm apart. Time to maturity 1-2 years. Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Produces deeply cut leaves with purple veining, softer and sweeter than traditional kale cultivars; can be harvested cut-and-come-again for tender young salad leaves. PESTS: birds, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage whitefly, cabbage gall weevil, slugs, snails, flea beetle, mealy cabbage aphid, swede midge. DISEASES: black rot, club root, brassica downy mildew, foot and root rot, leaf spot, white blister -- named directly for this species/group, not inferred. Maintenance: no pruning required beyond removing yellowing leaves; keep well-watered and protect with netting from birds and insects.
1 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What soil pH do red russian kales need?
A pH of about 6–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect red russian kales?
Our data links 4 diseases and 5 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.
Get the USA Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for US growing conditions
Last verified 2026-08-29
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.