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
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