Soil & potting mix
Best soil for 'Red Russian' Kale (Brassica napus var. pabularia 'Red Russian')
Also called Red Russian kale, Ragged Jack kale.
More about 'red russian' kale
About 'Red Russian' Kale
Brassica napus var. pabularia 'Red Russian' · also called Red Russian kale, Ragged Jack kale · edible
Red Russian is a tender, frilled, flat-leaved kale with grey-green oak-shaped leaves and purple-red stems and veins that intensify in cold. Botanically a Brassica napus type, it is milder and more delicate than curly kale, excellent as both baby leaf and mature greens. Very cold-hardy and quick to crop, it tolerates poorer soils than most brassicas.
Preferred mix: Fertile, well-drained loam, pH 6.0-7.5
Why 'red russian' kale needs this mix
'Red Russian' Kale is a hungry, thirsty crop — it wants a rich, moisture-retentive but free-draining loam, well fed and never baked dry.
- 'Red Russian' Kale grows fast and has a big crop to fill, so it draws heavily on both nutrients and water — a lean mix simply cannot keep up.
- Plenty of organic matter holds moisture evenly, which prevents the stress problems (bolting, bitterness, blossom-end rot) that come from a drying-then-flooding cycle.
- It still needs structure: rich does not mean airless, so grit, perlite or leaf mould keeps roots oxygenated.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons 'red russian' kale struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A poor, thin or sandy mix starves 'red russian' kale — growth stalls, leaves pale, and yields collapse.
- A heavy, compacted, badly drained soil rots the roots and brings fungal problems despite all the feeding.
- Letting a rich mix dry to dust then drowning it causes the classic moisture-stress disorders this crop is prone to.
Under-feeding and inconsistent moisture. 'Red Russian' Kale needs genuinely rich soil plus steady watering — most disappointing crops come down to one or both being short.
pH — does it matter for 'red russian' kale?
'Red Russian' Kale does best around pH 6.0-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). It is worth a cheap soil test for an outdoor bed; very acidic soil benefits from a little lime well before planting.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
For containers a good multipurpose or vegetable compost works for 'red russian' kale with extra feed through the season. For beds, the real win is digging in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure — that beats any bag.
Drainage and the pot
Rich but free-draining is the target: raised beds and large containers both deliver it. Mulch heavily to even out moisture and roughly halve how often you water.
'Red Russian' Kale is usually grown for a single season, so "repotting" means starting fresh each year — never reuse exhausted, disease-prone compost for the same crop family. When the time comes, our repotting guide for 'red russian' kale covers the timing and technique step by step.
'Red Russian' Kale soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for 'red russian' kale?
3 parts compost-amended loam or quality multipurpose compost : 1 part well-rotted garden compost or manure : 1 part perlite or grit (containers) / leaf mould (beds). 'Red Russian' Kale grows fast and has a big crop to fill, so it draws heavily on both nutrients and water — a lean mix simply cannot keep up.
Can I use normal potting soil for 'red russian' kale?
A poor, thin or sandy mix starves 'red russian' kale — growth stalls, leaves pale, and yields collapse. For containers a good multipurpose or vegetable compost works for 'red russian' kale with extra feed through the season. For beds, the real win is digging in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure — that beats any bag.
Does 'red russian' kale need a special pH?
'Red Russian' Kale does best around pH 6.0-7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). It is worth a cheap soil test for an outdoor bed; very acidic soil benefits from a little lime well before planting.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for 'red russian' kale?
For containers a good multipurpose or vegetable compost works for 'red russian' kale with extra feed through the season. For beds, the real win is digging in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure — that beats any bag.
How often should I refresh the soil for 'red russian' kale?
'Red Russian' Kale is usually grown for a single season, so "repotting" means starting fresh each year — never reuse exhausted, disease-prone compost for the same crop family. Rich but free-draining is the target: raised beds and large containers both deliver it. Mulch heavily to even out moisture and roughly halve how often you water.
Keep reading
- 'Red Russian' Kale care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water 'red russian' kale — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting 'red russian' kale — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
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- All 1284 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library