Condor Red, Ornamental Kale Seed

Condor Red Ornamental Kale Seed

Rich red foliage adds dramatic color to bouquets
Tall straight stems are bred for efficient cutting
Cool conditions deepen the ornamental display
Excellent for autumn arrangements and event work

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Brassica oleracea

Days to maturity

95 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

25 Seeds

About Condor Red, Ornamental Kale Seed, Ornamental Kale Seed

Condor Red is a cut flower kale that offers a textured and on-trend look for bouquets and arrangements. Bred for stems that grow straight and that are easy to cut and bunch. Also known as flowering kale and ornamental cabbage.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/8"

Days to Germination

3–10 days

Germination Type

A - No Pretreatment

In-row plant spacing

12-18"

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

36 inches

Growth Habits

Rosette, Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

7,500

Color

Red

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

A successful Ornamental Kale planting begins with a full-sun site with fertile, well-drained soil where brassica crops have not recently grown. Incorporate compost and use a soil test to adjust pH and nutrients, supplying lime before planting only when needed. Prepare a firm, weed-free bed and harden transplants gradually before setting them outdoors.

Planting

Ornamental Kale may be direct-sown in cool weather or started indoors 4–6 weeks before transplanting. Maintain about 70–75°F until germination, then give seedlings bright light and cooler conditions. Harden transplants gradually and set them out before summer heat for spring crops, or sow in midsummer for fall harvest. Thin direct-sown seedlings after true leaves develop.

Watering

Ornamental Kale performs best with consistent moisture, generally 1–1½ inches weekly. Irrigate deeply during dry periods and direct water toward the root zone to keep foliage drier.

Fertilizer

Ornamental Kale is a moderately heavy feeder. Apply balanced fertilizer according to soil tests, with a light nitrogen side-dressing as leaves, heads, or stems begin enlarging.

Harvesting

Cut ornamental kale leaves at the desired baby or mature size while they remain crisp and well colored. Harvest outer leaves repeatedly, or remove the whole plant before flowering begins.

Tips

Protect young ornamental kale with row cover before pests arrive. Maintain cool conditions with mulch, rotate crops regularly, and avoid letting old plants or weeds host brassica insects between seasons.

Pests & Diseases

Black rot, clubroot, downy mildew, Alternaria, and bacterial soft rot can spoil ornamental kale. Buy clean transplants, rotate brassicas, and keep irrigation off decorative rosettes. Remove plants with V-shaped yellow lesions or swollen roots; cold-damaged, water-soaked heads should be discarded before decay spreads.

Monitor ornamental kale for caterpillars, flea beetles, aphids, and root maggots. Use row cover before pests arrive, remove eggs and larvae by hand, and clear brassica residue after harvest.