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Darkibor Curly Kale

seeds
Choose an item size to add to your cart.
$4.80
Item: 3459-A
$7.95
Item: 3459-B
$19.25
Item: 3459-C
$51.00
Item: 3459-D
$89.00
Item: 3459-E
Brassica oleracea (acephala group)
(65 days) F-1 hybrid.

A top-quality Dutch variety with very dark green, triple-curled richly textured leaves. Crinkly and very curly. The uniform 18–20" tall plants hold well in the field in all weather conditions and continue to grow. Excellent for successive harvesting, Darkibor has comparable cold hardiness to Winterbor and holds its own in taste tests. Tested negative for BR and BL. Seed may have an organically certifiable coating.

Supplier Transparency:
④ Multinational corporations not to our knowledge engaged in genetic engineering
ships year-round
Quick Details
Hybrid Status
F-1 hybrid
Cold Hardy
Yes
Days to Maturity
65 days
Color
very dark green
Lifecycle
biennial grown as an annual
Compare
Compare with other Curly Kale
Variety Product Type Hybrid Status Cold Hardy Days to Maturity Color Lifecycle
Scarlet
Organic 		seeds open pollinated Yes 30 days baby, 55 days mature dark rosy purple biennial grown as an annual
Dwarf Blue Scotch Curled
Organic 		seeds open pollinated Yes 30 days baby, 56 days mature blue-green biennial grown as an annual
Beedy’s Camden
Organic 		seeds open pollinated Yes 60 days green biennial grown as an annual
Redbor seeds F-1 hybrid Yes 60 days dark purple biennial grown as an annual
Winterbor seeds F-1 hybrid Yes 60 days blue-green biennial grown as an annual
Rainbow Lacinato
Organic 		seeds open pollinated Yes 61 days multi-colored biennial grown as an annual
Darkibor
Organic 		seeds F-1 hybrid Yes 65 days very dark green biennial grown as an annual
Darkibor seeds F-1 hybrid Yes 65 days very dark green biennial grown as an annual
Additional Information

Kale and Collards

  • About 175–280 seeds/g and 4,200–9,800 seeds/oz.
  • Days to maturity are from emergence after direct sowing. For transplants, subtract 20 days.

Scientists say kale descends from wild cabbage, a plant found primarily on the lime cliffs of coastal Europe. Originating in Greece, kale was enjoyed for thousands of years throughout Europe where it was the most common green vegetable until the Middle Ages when cabbage became more popular.

One cup provides more Vitamin C than a glass of orange juice, more calcium than a cup of milk, more potassium than a banana and, per calorie, more iron than beef. Kale may be used in textured salads, steamed or braised as a side dish, mixed in omelettes, lasagna and stews, and made into chips.

Culture: Start indoors March-May for setting out May-July, or direct-seed in May. Minimum germination soil temperature 40°, optimal range 45-85°. To enjoy it at its best and to avoid the worst of the flea beetle season, direct seed in July or August for late-season maturity. Use wire hoops and row cover to keep flea beetles out at early stages. Important crop in colder climates owing to its natural resistance to frost, kale is sweeter after exposure to cold. Excellent for microgreens.

Diseases:

  • BL=Blackleg
  • BR=Black Rot

Note: We cannot ship packets greater than ½ oz. (14 grams) of radishes into the Willamette Valley. The State of Oregon prohibits shipping any commercial quantity of untreated Brassica, Raphanus or Sinapis due to quarantine

Brassicas

Days to maturity are from transplant date.

Culture: Start brassicas indoors March-May for setting out May-July, or direct-seed in May, or in June for fall crop. Minimum germination soil temperature 40°, optimal range 55–85°. Easier grown for the fall because many varieties perform poorly in hot summers. For better stands in dry conditions, sow in trenches and keep irrigated. Wire hoops and row cover should be used at early stages to keep out flea beetles and swede midge.

Note: because of a rule issued by Oregon, we cannot ship brassica packets larger than ½ oz. (14 grams) into the Willamette Valley, except those that have tested negative for Black Leg and Black Rot. Check descriptions for information.

Diseases:

  • BL: Blackleg
  • BR: Black Rot
  • BS: Bacterial Speck
  • DM: Downy Mildew
  • FW: Fusarium Wilt
  • FY: Fusarium Yellows
  • TB: Tipburn
  • WR: White Rust

Pest and Disease Remedies for all Brassicas

Major pests: Cabbage Looper, Diamondback Moth, Imported Cabbageworm
Cultural controls: control cabbage-family weeds near crop fields, till under crop debris of early-season brassicas after harvest.
Material controls: Spinosad, Bt.

Pest: Flea Beetle
Cultural controls: floating row covers, mulch with straw, time plantings for fall harvested crops only, crop rotation, perimeter trap cropping.
Material controls: AzaMax, Spinosad, PyGanic.

Pest: Cabbage Root Maggot
Cultural controls: time planting to avoid first hatching, use row covers, control weeds.

Major diseases: Black Rot, Alternaria Leaf Spot, Blackleg, Club Root, Downy Mildew, White Mold
Cultural controls: avoid transplanting plants with yellow leaves or v-shaped lesions, crop rotation, destroy crop debris after harvest, avoid overhead irrigation, control weeds, allow for good air movement.
Material controls: Copper.

Disease: Head Rot
Cultural controls: use well-domed varieties, harvest heads when tight, cut stalks at an angle.
Material control: Copper.

Swede Midge—not as cute as it sounds!

Alert! Heading brassicas in the Northeast are seeing consistent damage from swede midge, a tiny gall midge. Its effects result in a non-heading plant. Wire hoops and row cover at early stages of heading brassica crops are becoming crucial for success. Some research also suggests garlic sprays as a possible organic repellent. Consult your Cooperative Extension resources for further information.

Germination Testing

For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.

Our Seeds are Non-GMO

Non GMO

All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.

Shipping

From early May through mid-December, items shipping from our garden seeds warehouse ship twice a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday. For quickest turnaround time order online by noon Monday or Wednesday.