Every few years I let some of the Red Russian Kale go to seed. Allow at least 6 plants (I allow 8) to winter over and start growing again in spring. Six is the minimum needed to get sufficient genetic diversity. The plants will flower in the second year and set seeds, which are collected, dried on a tray or plate, put in paper envelope or glass jar - plastic doesn't allow seeds to breath unless the bag is left a little open. These seeds will supply me with all the plants I need for several years.
Kale is one of the easiest plants to bring to seed. I try to grow at least one type of plant for seed every year; last year it was calendula, and the year before poppies. This year I am also trying the Stuttgarter onions, as I had some 'hide' and winter over. They are also biennials- they flower the second year like kale. Onion flowers can be wild shapes, fun to grow; the leeks I wintered over for seed one year set tall spikey flowers my family said looked like space aliens.
If you are planning for garden space, you need to put the biennials you will grow for seed some place they won't be tilled up the second year. Happy gardening!
Kale is one of the easiest plants to bring to seed. I try to grow at least one type of plant for seed every year; last year it was calendula, and the year before poppies. This year I am also trying the Stuttgarter onions, as I had some 'hide' and winter over. They are also biennials- they flower the second year like kale. Onion flowers can be wild shapes, fun to grow; the leeks I wintered over for seed one year set tall spikey flowers my family said looked like space aliens.
If you are planning for garden space, you need to put the biennials you will grow for seed some place they won't be tilled up the second year. Happy gardening!