Brassica napus 'Dwarf Siberian'
vegetableDwarf Siberian is a Brassica napus kale (like Red Russian) with broad, thick, lightly frilled blue-gray-green leaves on stocky 12 to 16 in. plants that spread 2 to 3 ft wide. It is among the most cold-tolerant kales of all, shrugging off hard freezes that flatten other greens, and the flavor is mild, sweet, and tender - excellent both raw and cooked. Vigorous and forgiving, it is a top choice for overwintering and for gardeners in the coldest zones.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 3 days
Harvest
~60 days
Difficulty
easy
Lifecycle
biennial
Leaves year 1, flowers year 2
Spacing
18 in. apart
Planting Depth
Seed 1/2 in. deep
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining, loamy
Hardiness Zones
Zones 2 – 9
Grown as an annual. This range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
At planting and every 4 to 6 weeks
Fertilizer
Nitrogen-rich or balanced 10-10-10
Direct sow Dwarf Siberian 1/2 in. deep as soon as the soil can be worked, or start indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost and transplant 2 weeks before it; sow again in mid to late summer for a fall-into-winter crop. Give the wide-spreading plants room - 18 in. apart in rows 24 to 36 in. apart - in full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Keep evenly moist and feed nitrogen for tender leaves. Harvest outer leaves continuously; the plant only gets sweeter as the cold deepens.
spring planting
Start seeds indoors
Feb 11
Transplant outdoors
Mar 18
Projected first harvest
May 17
fall planting
Start seeds indoors
Jul 21
Transplant outdoors
Aug 25
Projected first harvest
Oct 24
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Row cover from transplant, handpicking, and Bt for serious pressure
Row cover excludes the egg-laying moths; Bt controls larvae
Hose colonies off leaf undersides and plant dill or alyssum to recruit predators
Protect young plants with row cover until they outgrow the shothole damage
Handpick bugs and eggs and remove brassica debris in fall to break the cycle
Harvest Dwarf Siberian from about 50 to 60 days, picking the broad outer leaves and leaving the center to regrow. Its standout cold tolerance means it keeps yielding through hard frosts and often straight through winter under mulch or row cover, with the flavor turning sweetest in the cold. Overwintered plants give an early flush of tender spring leaves before bolting.
Dwarf Siberian shares the dense kale nutrition profile: well over the daily value of vitamin K per 100 g, large amounts of provitamin-A beta-carotene, roughly 90 to 120 mg of vitamin C, the eye-protective carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, and useful calcium and fiber at minimal calories. Its tender napus-type leaves make those nutrients easy to eat raw or lightly cooked.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.
spring planting
fall planting