How to Grow and Care for Collard Greens

How to Plant Collard Greens

You can start collard plants from seed or nursery transplants. These greens are relatively easy to plant, as long as you choose the right time of year.

When to Plant

Start seeds outdoors about two weeks before your last spring frost date, or get a head start by sowing seeds indoors. If going the indoor route, you will want to start four to six weeks earlier, and plan on planting the seedlings after the frost date. For a fall harvest in cool climates, plant in mid-summer, about six to eight weeks before the first fall frost date. With protection, you can harvest collard greens well into winter.

In USDA hardiness zones 8 and higher, you will get your tastiest crop by planting in the fall and harvesting throughout the winter. Cool weather sweetens most cooking greens and collard greens are no exception.

Selecting a Planting Site

When choosing a location to plant collard greens, sunlight is essential. Ideally, this vegetable should be grown in full sun, receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Additionally, it is crucial to plant in or prepare nutrient-rich, loamy soil that retains some moisture while still draining easily.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Sow seed 14 to 12 inches deep. Collards are large, open plants. You can space them 18 to 24 inches apart or plant them more thickly, then thin and eat young plants until you reach the desired spacing. Support is not needed for collard greens.

Collard Greens Care

Light

Collard greens prefer to grow in full sun but will tolerate some shade. A shady location may protect plants from sun scald in warmer climates.

Soil

Collards prefer well-draining, fertile soil rich in organic material, with a pH level between 6.5 and 6.8.

Water

Keep the plants well-watered and harvest regularly to encourage the production of new leaves. These plants require 1 to 1 12 inches of water weekly. Using mulch will help retain soil moisture and keep the leaves clean.

Temperature and Humidity

Collard greens are a cool-season vegetable that typically goes to seed (bolts) when the weather warms and daylight lengthens in mid-summer. For this reason, they are often planted early in the season or later, avoiding mid-summer harvest.

Collard greens can withstand light frost, but prolonged freezing temperatures will damage the plants. To continue harvesting in cold areas, protect your collard greens with a hoop house or cold frame. They thrive equally well in both humid and dry conditions, provided the soil is kept moist.

Fertilizer

Side dress with composted manure or a slow-release fertilizer every four to six weeks to keep the plants growing between harvests.

Types of Collard Greens

Collards are often grouped by two growing characteristics: those that are loose-leaf and those that form a loose head. Traditional varieties, such as ‘Vates’ and ‘Georgia,’ form loose, open plants. Some of the newer hybrids, such as ‘Morris Heading,’ grow quickly and curve in on themselves, forming a loose head and a more compact plant. Loose heading varieties are good choices if you want to harvest the whole plant at once. If you want a steady supply of leaves, opt for a loose-leaf variety.

• ‘Champion’ is a ‘Vates’ hybrid, with cabbage-like leaves that store well. Good for smaller gardens, this variety matures in 60 days.
• ‘Flash’ is a smallish plant but a very vigorous grower. The leaves are smooth and sweet; the plant matures in 55 days.
• ‘Georgia’ is a large plant with tender, waxy leaves. Heat tolerant and slow to bolt, it matures in 75 days.
• ‘Green Glaze’ has glossy, dark green leaves that are less often damaged by caterpillars. It matures in 75 days.
• ‘ Vates’ is a compact plant with very smooth leaves. It matures in 75 days.

Collard Greens vs. Kale

Like kale, collards are a member of the cabbage family but do not form heads. Collards and kale are quite similar genetically, but breeding and cultivating over the years has produced plants with different textures and flavor. Collard leaves are smooth and almost waxy, with pronounced veining. They are quite large, with a bright to dark green color, and the stems are very fibrous and tough. Collards also tend to have a stronger and more bitter flavor than kale. True to the cruciferous family, collard flowers have four yellow petals in the form of a cross. The flowers are edible and have a sweet, cabbage-like flavor.

Harvesting Collard Greens

You can harvest leaves as needed or cut the entire plant. If you cut the entire plant while it is still young, the crown should resprout for at least one additional harvest. Harvest leaves while they are smooth and firm; young, tender leaves will be the least bitter. You can store them in damp paper towels in the refrigerator for about three to four days, but the longer they are stored, the more bitter they become. It’s better to harvest as needed.

How to Grow Collard Greens in Pots

If you have a balcony garden or are otherwise unable to plant collard greens in the ground or in a raised bed, it’s possible to grow collard greens in a large pot or container. When selecting a pot, consider that a single collard green plant can grow to be about 18 inches wide, and choose accordingly. The type of pot is not particularly important, as long as it has excellent drainage.

Pruning

Pruning collard greens is not necessary. You may want to harvest outer leaves to eat as the plant grows. At the end of its season, simply cut it down to the base or remove the plant.

How to Grow Collard Greens from Seed

Collard greens can be started from seed indoors, or collard green seeds can be sown directly into the ground. To start indoors, use seed trays and plant seeds about 14 inch deep. Keep the soil moist until germination, and transplant the seedlings once they have one set of true leaves.

To direct sow collard greens seeds outdoors, plant seeds in groups of 3-4, about a 12 inch deep. Maintain a foot’s distance between each group, and another foot’s distance between rows. Thin the seedlings to one per group once they’ve sprouted.

Common Pests and Diseases

Collards are affected by the same diseases and pests as other members of the cabbage family, although their tough leaves offer some protection.

Be on the lookout for aphids, cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, cabbage root maggots, flea beetles, and even slugs. Whenever possible, use a control method such as horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Covering the plants with a floating row cover helps prevent white cabbage butterflies from laying eggs on the plants.

Common diseases include blackleg, black rot, clubroot, and cabbage yellows. Diseases tend to build up in the soil, so do not plant collards in the same spot every year. Rotate all your cruciferous vegetables and if you have a disease or pest problems, don’t leave them standing through the winter.