Black Magic Kale Seeds Heirloom Lacinato AKA Dinosaur Kale Vegetable SeedsBrassica oleracea 'Black Magic'Listing is for 1 packet of approximately 100 seeds Watch my YouTube video tutorial on how to grow kale from seed to harvest: https://youtu.be/gxdy-GwoaRQ Black Magic is an improved cultivar of my favorite Black Tuscan lacinto kale. The leaves of Black Magic are longer (sometimes as long as 2FT) and wider, compared to Black Tuscan. Both exhibit high heat, pest, and disease tolerance. Leaves start out a grayish green color and turn darker green/blue. Lacinato kale, also called dinosaur kale, are my favorite because they tolerate a wide range of cold to hot temperatures. Leaves are thick and have a crinkled or "savoyed" effect. The leaves have a smooth texture when cooked in soups. Leaves can be harvested at the baby stage for delicious salad greens. Kale is best grown in the cooler parts of the year. Typically seeds are started 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. In the south/Florida, I start kale seeds in August (indoors) to transplant into the garden in October and grow thru fall/winter/spring. Or direct sow seeds in October. This allows the plant to grow throughout the coldest months of the year. Kale has a tendency to die once summer heat comes here in my Florida garden. However, I have noticed that lacinato kales display decent heat tolerance as it lasts longer in my garden. I had some of this variety of kale live to almost 2 years because it was growing in a spot that received afternoon shade. Ideal Growing Conditions Sun: Does best getting 6 hours of sun a day. Grow in partial shade in hot climates. Water: Keep the soil consistently moist. Fertilizer: Crops grown to eat their leaves benefit from extra nitrogen. Work blood meal into the planting hole or soil before direct sowing the seeds. Apply more fertilizer every 4 weeks. When & How To Sow Seeds: For a spring crop: direct sow seeds after all danger of frost has passed or start indoors, in 4 inch pots, 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. For a fall crop: direct sow seeds 3-4 months before your first winter frost date. Or sow seeds indoors, in 4 inch pots, 5 months before your first winter frost date (because they need 6-8 weeks to grow to transplant size). When direct sowing seeds - sprinkle a few seeds over the soil surface, pat down, cover with 1/4 inch of soil, and water in. Germination: 3-10 days Days To Maturity: 70 days after direct sowing the seed How & When To Harvest: Can start harvesting smaller baby greens when the leaves are 6 inches long or allow the leaves to mature and harvest when needed. Common Diseases: The most common diseases are fungal like powdery mildew and downy mildew. Space 1 kale plant every 1FT, do not overhead water, and prune out old, diseased, or decaying leaves to improve air flow. Spray with 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water every 3 to 5 days until you notice the spread has stopped. Common Pests: The most common pest when growing kale is aphids. Use a strong spray of water to dislodge aphids from the leaves. For more severe infestations, spray with organic insecticidal soap or spinosad. The same caterpillars/worms that like to chew brassicas will also chew kale leaves. Spray with BT or spinosad to treat chewing insects. Do I have a YouTube video tutorial on how to grow this? Yes https://youtu.be/gxdy-GwoaRQ Additional Tips/Information: N/A
