Inventive plant breeder Tim Peters crafted this blend, initially named Gulag Stars, through a fusion of Brassica napus kale types (Russian kales) with glossier Brassica rapa varieties (mustards and Asian Greens), employing a technique known as bud pollinating. This method, akin to a form of astral projection in the botanical realm, facilitates the merging of two related yet distinct species. The outcome is a delightful kale mix featuring diverse shapes, colors, textures, and sizes, reminiscent of vibrant star-forming nebulae, varying from plant to plant.
Variety Details
Plant type: Biennial
Growth habit: Herbaceous
Crop category: Cabbage
Kitchen profile: The flavor of this kale mirrors that of other Russian kales, possessing a slightly sharper taste than Dino Kale or Vates Blue Curled Kale.
Recorded feature: Open-Pollinated
Product format: Seed packet
Sowing & Growing
Light: Partial Sun
Planting season: Fall or Spring
Starting location: Direct Sow or Start Indoors & Transplant
Recorded soil pH: 5.6 – 6.0 or 6.1 – 6.5
Recorded USDA zones: 8
Schedule All Stars Kale for the cool-season planting window appropriate to your climate. Start seed in a protected setting or direct sow when the product record allows, then thin or transplant so each plant has room to develop. Check moisture at root depth and adjust irrigation to weather and soil rather than a universal schedule. As maturity approaches, inspect head, stem, or leaf development according to the crop type and harvest at the preferred size and firmness.
Before sowing All Stars Kale, review the packet alongside the current product details and note any range in temperature, germination, or maturity. Ranges reflect biological and seasonal variation rather than a fixed promise. Label each planting with its date and location, then compare emergence, growth, and harvest with local weather. This record is useful for succession plantings and for deciding whether the crop fits better into an earlier or later seasonal window.
