Best varieties of kale and best Romaine for cold northern climates in Autumn?

[Betty Lane]

I live in a cold, cold, area of upstate New York, near BUffalo.

What do you find are the best varieties of kale and Romaine lettuce, particularly Romaine that withstands frosts?

Thanks a lot.

[Bill Litchfield]

My candidates are: Redbor Kale, which actually gets sweeter after a good frost, and Winter Density Romaine type lettuce.

Regards, Bill

[Jan Flora]

Get seed catalogs from Pinetree Seeds, Johnny's Seeds, Vermont Bean Seed Co. and others in New England, and you'll find wonderful short-season varieties. Lots of Alaskans order seeds from those companies.

We grow a red Russian kale up here that thrives. We kick the snow off of it and harvest it.

If you can ever get to the beach after a good windstorm, haul every bit of seaweed you can carry home, and just lay in on your garden beds (in the off-season). Seaweed lowers the temps that frost will hurt/kill your plants. I don't know why, but it works. Or use those seaweed fertilizers that you can buy on your plants.

And there's always Remay and PVC pipe half-hoop frames...

Jan in Alaska USDA Zone 3/4, depending on who you ask