Fruit and Vegetable Gardening A-Z: Collards
A Guide to Gardening, Growing, and Harvesting Edibles
By: Jenny Sigler, SparkPeople Contributor : 2 comments
Collards are a Southern delight with a mild cabbage-like flavor. High in calcium, the leaves actually get a boost in taste after a light frost. Collards are a nutritional powerhouse that few others can match.
Hardiness Zones:
5-11 (Find your hardiness zone.)
When to Plant:
Directly sow seeds in early spring for a summer harvest, under just a 1/2 inch of soil. Germination occurs in 6-12 days.
Conditions:
Avoid planting collards in the same spot each year, as with any other cabbage family crop. Collards prefer a rich, light soil that is slightly sandy with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Collards have deep roots (up to 2 feet long), so dig at least 10 inches into the soil when preparing the site for planting.
Space Needed:
Thin seedlings when they are 2 inches tall until plants are spaced 18 inches apart. Plant in rows that are 36 inches apart.
Maintenance:
Inspect your collards regularly for pests. Collards are especially susceptible to aphids and cabbageworms. Its water needs are moderate, so be sure to supplement when rainfall is scarce; if collards don't get enough water, they turn bitter.
When to Harvest:
When the plants are about 12 inches tall, you can begin harvesting the outer leaves. Some varieties are ready in as little as 60 days.
Average Yield:
Expect up to 20 pounds per packet of seeds during a growing season.
Continuous Yield:
Yes
Life Cycle:
Annual
Difficulty Rating (1-5):
2
Hardiness Zones:
5-11 (Find your hardiness zone.)
When to Plant:
Directly sow seeds in early spring for a summer harvest, under just a 1/2 inch of soil. Germination occurs in 6-12 days.
Conditions:
Avoid planting collards in the same spot each year, as with any other cabbage family crop. Collards prefer a rich, light soil that is slightly sandy with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Collards have deep roots (up to 2 feet long), so dig at least 10 inches into the soil when preparing the site for planting.
Space Needed:
Thin seedlings when they are 2 inches tall until plants are spaced 18 inches apart. Plant in rows that are 36 inches apart.
Maintenance:
Inspect your collards regularly for pests. Collards are especially susceptible to aphids and cabbageworms. Its water needs are moderate, so be sure to supplement when rainfall is scarce; if collards don't get enough water, they turn bitter.
When to Harvest:
When the plants are about 12 inches tall, you can begin harvesting the outer leaves. Some varieties are ready in as little as 60 days.
Average Yield:
Expect up to 20 pounds per packet of seeds during a growing season.
Continuous Yield:
Yes
Life Cycle:
Annual
Difficulty Rating (1-5):
2
