Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners - Variety Details

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'Vates' Kale

Sub-Category:	None

Sub-Category 2:
Description:	Brassica oleraea. Standard kale, blue-green, finely curled, 12 to 14 inch leaves on 15 inch plants. Slow to bolt. Also known by many variation on Dwarf Blue Curled Vates as well as Dwarf Blue Scotch, Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Blue Curled Scotch. About 30 days to baby kale and about 55 days full size maturity.
Days To Maturity:	30-55
Seed Sources:	Fruition Seeds - updated in 2019 Burpee Seeds - updated in 2019 Fedco Seeds - updated in 2019 Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2019

Rating Summary

Overall: (4.2 Stars) Taste: (3.9 Stars) Yield: (4.2 Stars) Ease/Reliability: (4.6 Stars)

Reviews

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Number of Reviews: 28

Posted Pictures by Reviewers:

KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 11/26/2019 by Saratoga MG - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Saratoga, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Compact plants with dark green blue leaves. It germinated well, but experienced critter damage early in the season. It grew well after that with a very mild flavor, raw in a salad with a decent crunch.

Reviewed on 11/24/2019 by Wayne County CCE - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Wayne, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Grew nicely, produced well.

Reviewed on 11/22/2019 by Tompkins MGV - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Tompkins, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Grew well, tall plants with curly leaves. No pest or disease problems. Taste OK.

Reviewed on 11/21/2019 by CCEYates - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Yates, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
The woodchucks adored this. We unfortunately were unable to taste it but what we saw before the varmints feasted looked beautiful. It germinated very well.

Reviewed on 11/11/2019 by Albany County MGs - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Albany, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Love this kale. Had trouble with flea beetles, they devoured them as soon as they germinated so i tried again with seedlings and then it did well. It\'s very cold hardy and tasty, one of my favorites.

Reviewed on 11/10/2019 by CCE Nassau County NY - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Nassau, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Compact plants that performed well, leaves had some holes in them but overall were free of blight and pests. Good taste.

Reviewed on 11/08/2019 by Susan-CCESchuyler - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Schuyler, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
medium yield

Reviewed on 10/08/2019 by Cutler Botanic Garden - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Broome, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Kale is easier to grow in our climate. This variety performed as well as other kale in our garden.

Reviewed on 09/25/2019 by CCE Oneida County - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Oneida, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Grew well.

Reviewed on 09/25/2019 by Food bank vvtg - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Erie, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Not Sure Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Grow very well and quickly, seemed disease free but was somewhat tough when cooked

Reviewed on 09/15/2019 by CCE Putnam - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Putnam, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Planted seeds 5/8, germinated 5/15. On 6/5, from 16 seeds, 4 healthy plants. 6/8: Some holes in leaves. Started harvesting on 7/10. Still thriving as of 9/15, with total yield of 5 1/4 lbs. so far. This is not our final evaluation. Final entry 11/24: Still thriving.

Reviewed on 07/29/2019 by nmeohen1 - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Cortland, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This kale just keeps coming. It is tasty and easy to grow,

Reviewed on 07/26/2019 by CCE Rockland - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Rockland, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Compact plant with curly leaves which are tender and tasty. Still going strong in late July.

Reviewed on 01/12/2017 by Peggy\'s patch - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Always does well and I\'ll bet the most cold-hardy variety out there. Overwinters with sub-zero temps.

Reviewed on 11/16/2012 by Roger1963 - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Schuyler, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Still going and looks great. Nice size and pest free.

Reviewed on 11/01/2012 by CCE Seneca County - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Seneca, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Nice looking variety but had flea beetles that ate a lot!

Reviewed on 10/30/2012 by Chautauqua CCE - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Chautauqua, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Amazing flavor and a nice compact plant. Could grow amongst other plants well.

Reviewed on 10/29/2012 by Roots & Wisdom - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Schenectady, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Beautiful kale

Reviewed on 10/28/2012 by CCE Oneida County - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Oneida, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Smaller plant that would do well in a small garden. Tight curled leaves that are most tender when pick before getting too large.

Reviewed on 10/22/2012 by nmeohen1 - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Cortland, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Pretty tasteless but pretty.

Reviewed on 10/17/2012 by Debbie L - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Orange, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Very small plants that were not huge producers. Nice flavor.

Reviewed on 09/14/2012 by Lois - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Wayne, New York, United States Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Proliftic producer- great tasting, Colorful

Reviewed on 03/17/2012 by JulsInAZ - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Maricopa, Arizona, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Not Sure Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Easy, reliable variety that I plant every year. Good flavor and texture if harvested when leaves are less than 5 inches or so, bigger than that and they become very tough. I cut off the lower leaves and the plant continues to grow new leaves on top - I have some that are over a foot tall and look like little prehistoric trees! Surprisingly, I have plants that are over a year old, having survived 110 plus degree heat with regular watering. Most productive during our mild winters and springs though. Some plants have extra curly leaves and must be washed carefully to remove any unwanted guests.

Reviewed on 12/22/2009 by containergardener - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Los Angeles, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Here in southern California, dwarf blue curled scotch kale is tough and not very tasty, even when harvested in winter. It does not compare with the much finer, although less productive, Siberian kales. But it certainly is productive and easy to grow.

Reviewed on 10/31/2008 by bayfarmer - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Alameda, California, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Great yield. Sturdy, stocky plants that produce and stay strong through various conditions. Grown in-ground and in small containers. Hardy and doesn't mind a little neglect. Taste is excellent; slightly sweet and earthy. Texture is actually somewhat crisp, not fibrous.

Reviewed on 07/15/2008 by louis quill - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Cayuga, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
excellent yielding variety i live in the north and this plant actually survived till december.

Reviewed on 01/10/2008 by Ottawa Gardener - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Ontario, Canada Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
I hesitate to give it the full five as I have only grown it one season but it was hardier than the Russian Red in my garden and I had no problem with aphids as a previous reviewer referred to. It was vigorous and produced well, much better than the Russian Red.

Reviewed on 05/13/2006 by farmerdill - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Richmond, Georgia, United States Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This was the standard curly kale from my youth. Very short plant that grows well. I prefer it to Vates. Main drawback is its attractiveness to aphids in late winter. Difficult to remove them from the tight "curls".

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