- You will get 220+ Seeds of Red Russian Kale Heirloom Garden Vegetable Seeds. - Sunlight: Full Sun, Medium Sun. - Life Cycle: Annual. - Watering: Medium. - Red Russian Kale Seeds. - Russian Red kale is one of the heirloom kale varieties dating from before 1885. - Also known as Ragged Jack kale, Russian Red has silvery-green to blue-green leaves that are thick and chewy. They do not have the crinkles or Tuscan kale or the frills of curly kales. They look somewhat like an oak leaf with lobes that almost reach the stem. - With Ragged Jack kale plants, you only eat the leaves. They will be juicy but not tender, even when they are very young. If you are growing Russian Red kale, you will find that the stems are too thick and fibrous to consume. - Sowing in the garden: Easy-to-grow by direct seed or transplant. Frost-tolerant and winter hardy. Wants evenly moist soil and will grow in full sun or with partial shade. Can be planted in spring, late summer and early fall in succession plantings for nearly year-round harvest. Flavor imporves in cold weather. Plant Seeds: Direct seed or transplant after danger of hard frost 1/2" deep, 1" between seeds, in rows 18" apart. Soil Temp: 50-85 F. Days to Sprout: 5-17. Thin To/Mature Plant Spacing: 12". Companions: beets, carrots, dill, lettuce, onion, spinach, tomato, nasturtium, cilantro. Seeds/Oz: 7000. Seed Wt./100' Row: 5 grams. Yield/100' row: 75 lbs. Days to Harvest: 45-60. Seed Viability: 4-5 years. - Microgreens growing instructions: this is not the only way to do microgreens, everyone will acquire their own techniques, but here are the basics: - Cover the bottom of the container with an inch or two of moistened potting soil/mix or coir. Flatten and level it with your hand or a small piece of cardboard, taking care not to over-compress the soil. Scatter seeds evenly on top of the soil. Press gently into the soil using your hand or the cardboard. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Dampen the surface with a mister. If you prefer, you can skip this step and instead cover the container with a clear lid or plastic wrap until the seeds are sprouted. While waiting for sprouts to appear, usually within three to seven days, use the mister once or twice daily to keep the soil moist but not wet. Once seeds have sprouted, remove the cover (if you've used one) and continue to mist once or twice a day. Microgreens need about four hours daily of direct sunlight to thrive. In winter months, some may need even more. Leggy, pale greens are a sign of not enough sunlight. Light needs can also be satisfied with a grow light that has a low heat output — you don't want to scorch your delicate greens. Microgreens will be ready to harvest about two to three weeks after planting. Look for the first set of "true leaves" as a sign of readiness. Then grab your scissors and snip the greens just above the soil line. To serve, wash the microgreens with water and dry with paper towels or a salad spinner. Harvest and serve them immediately for the freshest flavor, and add to soups, salads, sandwiches or main dishes. Store remaining cut microgreens in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.