Starbor F1 Kale - Brassica oleracea acephala

The 'Starbor F1' Kale Cabbage is a superb, compact, hardy variety with curly, beautiful blue-green leaves. It is a tasty Kale that you can grow all year round, indoors on a windowsill or outdoors in the ground.

A favourite among Americans, Kale cabbage is an ancient green cabbage with exceptional nutritional value: it contains more vitamin C than an orange and more calcium than a glass of milk. Low in calories and rich in minerals, this cabbage, still relatively unknown in Europe, is gaining popularity in our kitchens.

Sometimes known as Borecole, Rabbit Cabbage or Cow Cabbage, this true nutritional phenomenon has tough, curly foliage that varies from green to dark red. It does not form a head like other cabbages. It belongs to the large Brassicaceae family (formerly Cruciferae) and has the Latin name Brassica oleracea acephala.

Once common on medieval tables but later relegated to animal feed, Kale has experienced a spectacular resurgence in the United States. It can be consumed raw in salads or quickly steamed and prepared in various ways: sautéed, in gratins, quiches, or mashed... This "Superfood" can also be incorporated into multiple preparations like fruit smoothies. And if you're lacking inspiration, several recipe books are dedicated solely to this unique cabbage.

Kale cabbage is easy to grow, requires little space, and has excellent hardiness (at least below -10 °C (14°F)). A-10 seems to be more resistant to potential pest attacks. However, it requires good fertilisation and regular moisture, like almost all cabbages.

NB: This variety is labeled F1 for "F1 labelled because it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This produces a variety that can be exceptionally flavourful and early while being resistant to diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are attractive for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations. Therefore, saving the seeds for future sowing will not be possible.

Harvest: It is done with a knife by removing the leaves from the outer part of the plant, which will continue to grow and produce new leaves. Kale can be harvested from the young leaf stage up to maturity.

Storage: This cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, but since it would be a shame to miss out on its vitamins, we recommend consuming it soon after harvesting. It freezes well after being blanched for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: To limit watering, starting from late May, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, ideally mixed with dead leaves. This protection helps keep the soil moist and also reduces weed growth.