Melinda Myers

Collard Greens

Botanical Name

Brassica oleracea var. acephala

Height

18 to 36 inches

Width

12 to 24 inches

Light

Full sun

Soil

Well-drained

Planting & Care

• Collard greens grows better in warm weather and tolerate cold fall temperatures better than other cole crops
• For spring crops, start plants indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost date, transplant outdoors when seedlings are about 6 weeks old
• Space transplants 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 18 to 24 inches apart
• Seed fall crops about 3 months before the expected fall frost
• Plant seeds ¹/₄ to ¹/₂ deep, 1 inch apart in rows 18 to 24 inches apart, thin seedlings to 12 to 18 inches
• Mulch overwintering plants
• Use a floating row cover to prevent insect problems
• To help prevent disease, do not plant cole crops in the same location more than once every 3 to 4 years
• Like other cole crops, frost improves the flavor in fall
• All parts of the plant are edible and can be harvested anytime during the growing season
• Harvest the outermost leaves when they reach 10 to 12 inches, leave the smaller younger inner leaves to develop

Problems

Cabbage worms, aphids, cutworm, slugs, flea beetles, clubroot, black rot

Varieties

• Green Glaze - green waxy leaves provide some protection from cabbage worms
• Blue Max - upright plants, slightly savoyed leaves, mild flavor
• Georgia Southern - 2 to 3 feet, tender blue-green ruffled leaves
• Champion - short stems, long broad, wavy leaves, slow to bolt, good winter hardiness