Growing Collard Greens
About as forgiving as a vegetable gets here, and a frost only makes them sweeter.
How to Grow Collard Greens
Planting
Direct sow or transplant after the worst heat breaks, or push a spring crop in early enough to beat it. Collards tolerate more heat and cold than almost anything else in the garden.
Watering & feeding
Regular water keeps the leaves tender, they’ll survive drought but turn tough and bitter.
Harvest
Pick outer leaves as you need them and the plant keeps producing from the center for months. A light frost actually sweetens the flavor, so don’t rush to pull them before winter.
Grows Well With
Plant collards near marigolds or nasturtiums to help draw aphids and other pests away from the leaves. See all our companion planting pairs →
When to Plant
Direct sow in March for a spring crop, or again in August for a fall-into-winter crop that’ll outlast almost everything else in the bed. See the full planting calendar →
Buy the Seeds We Use
From the Seed Center
Shop Collard Greens Seeds
$1.25
From the Kitchen: Recipes Using Collard Greens
Looking for recipe ideas? Browse the full Recipe Book.