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Tuscan Lacinato (Nero di Toscana) Kale

60 days. The rustic, pebbled kitchen gardens of Tuscany gave birth to this unique heirloom Kale, AKA Dinosaur Kale, prized for its phenomenal color, size and leaf texture. There is something primeval about Lacinato's statuesque plants: huge, strapping leaves atop tall, sturdy stalks that can reach as high as 3'. This dramatic Kale is prized by Italian cooks, possibly because the heavily savoyed, crinkled leaves grow as long as 18". The leaf color is practically indescribable, but deep grey/blue/green with a silvery sheen comes close. The flavor of Lacinato is tangy and sweet. (OP.)

One packet of about 220 seeds
In stock
Item
#2420
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$4.55
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  • Information
    • The cornerstone of traditional Southern cooking and kitchen gardens, these leafy green vegetables include Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Kale and Turnip Greens. Customarily simmered for hours with salt pork or ham hocks, the best way to preserve their wonderful flavors, textures and color is to quickly braise or saute them in olive oil and Garlic. Most Southern Greens prefer cool weather, although Collard Greens are wonderfully tolerant of summer heat. Direct sow Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens outdoors in the early spring as soon as the soil can be worked and in the late summer for fall harvest.

    Average seed life: 4 years.
  • Gardening Tips
    • Kale Sowing Instructions
      Planting Depth      : ¼”-1/2"
      Row Spacing: 18”-24”
      Seed Spacing: 2”-4”
      Days to Germination: 5-10 days
      Germination Temperature: 45°-75°F

      This leafy member of the Brassica family prefers cool weather for optimal growth. Start Kale in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked or in late summer for fall and winter harvest. You can grow Kale in partial shade as long as it gets at least 4 hours of mid-day sunlight. When growing as individuals, thin to 12" to 16" apart. Or, broadcast seed to harvest in the “cut and come again” method. Kale prefers well-draining, moderately fertile soil amended with compost and/or wellrotted manure. Seedlings thrive in evenly moist soil and enjoy occasional supplemental feedings of organic fertilizer. Hardy and pest-resistant, Kale becomes more tender and sweet after being kissed by frost. Harvest large leaves by cutting them at the base, leaving the plant to keep producing. Harvest as “cut and come again” greens when plants reach a height between 3" to 6".

      A Boost For Brassicas
      Kale and other leafy Brassica crops such as Cabbage, Broccoli, Arugula and Tatsoi all benefit from an extra dose of nitrogen. Forgo the chemical sources and look for what nature has put together for you. Aflalfa meal, blood meal, crab meal, soybean meal and cottonseed meal - these are all great nitrogen sources. The best time to give the crops their dose of "Vitamin N" is in early spring, at planting time. Follow the directions on the bag for the correct amount and work the product into the top 3" to 4" of soil. Then, put in your transplants or seeds and water thoroughly. Healthy, dark green leaves will be your report card and your reward.

      Hail to the Hardy Greens
      Most garden greens can hardly wait for cool weather to come. They perk up and sweeten up as the mugginess of August fades away. Crops such as Spinach, Arugula, Claytonia and Mâche, if protected by a cold frame or simple unheated greenhouse, survive the winter in cold climates, to be cut and re-cut for a continuous harvest. Sow them in September in the north, October in warmer parts of the country. They do best hunkering down, close to the earth. Lettuce and Endive over-winter best when cut at baby leaf size rather than full-sized heads.

      Kale, Collards and Brussels Sprouts fare better if grown to full size and left outdoors to soldier on as long as they can, since they do not re-grow if cut back in winter. We can often harvest them for our Christmas table, even in snowy Maine.

      Everyone's Delicious Darling: Kale

      Shade Tolerance
  • Featured Recipes
The cornerstone of traditional Southern cooking and kitchen gardens, these leafy green vegetables include Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Kale and Turnip Greens. Customarily simmered for hours with salt pork or ham hocks, the best way to preserve their wonderful flavors, textures and color is to quickly braise or saute them in olive oil and Garlic. Most Southern Greens prefer cool weather, although Collard Greens are wonderfully tolerant of summer heat. Direct sow Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens outdoors in the early spring as soon as the soil can be worked and in the late summer for fall harvest.

Average seed life: 4 years.
  • Kale Sowing Instructions
    Planting Depth    : ¼”-1/2"
    Row Spacing: 18”-24”
    Seed Spacing: 2”-4”
    Days to Germination: 5-10 days
    Germination Temperature: 45°-75°F

    This leafy member of the Brassica family prefers cool weather for optimal growth. Start Kale in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked or in late summer for fall and winter harvest. You can grow Kale in partial shade as long as it gets at least 4 hours of mid-day sunlight. When growing as individuals, thin to 12" to 16" apart. Or, broadcast seed to harvest in the “cut and come again” method. Kale prefers well-draining, moderately fertile soil amended with compost and/or wellrotted manure. Seedlings thrive in evenly moist soil and enjoy occasional supplemental feedings of organic fertilizer. Hardy and pest-resistant, Kale becomes more tender and sweet after being kissed by frost. Harvest large leaves by cutting them at the base, leaving the plant to keep producing. Harvest as “cut and come again” greens when plants reach a height between 3" to 6".

    A Boost For Brassicas
    Kale and other leafy Brassica crops such as Cabbage, Broccoli, Arugula and Tatsoi all benefit from an extra dose of nitrogen. Forgo the chemical sources and look for what nature has put together for you. Aflalfa meal, blood meal, crab meal, soybean meal and cottonseed meal - these are all great nitrogen sources. The best time to give the crops their dose of "Vitamin N" is in early spring, at planting time. Follow the directions on the bag for the correct amount and work the product into the top 3" to 4" of soil. Then, put in your transplants or seeds and water thoroughly. Healthy, dark green leaves will be your report card and your reward.

    Hail to the Hardy Greens
    Most garden greens can hardly wait for cool weather to come. They perk up and sweeten up as the mugginess of August fades away. Crops such as Spinach, Arugula, Claytonia and Mâche, if protected by a cold frame or simple unheated greenhouse, survive the winter in cold climates, to be cut and re-cut for a continuous harvest. Sow them in September in the north, October in warmer parts of the country. They do best hunkering down, close to the earth. Lettuce and Endive over-winter best when cut at baby leaf size rather than full-sized heads.

    Kale, Collards and Brussels Sprouts fare better if grown to full size and left outdoors to soldier on as long as they can, since they do not re-grow if cut back in winter. We can often harvest them for our Christmas table, even in snowy Maine.

    Everyone's Delicious Darling: Kale

    Shade Tolerance
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