Collards

Collards do best in fertile, well-draining soil. A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal. They are large plants and benefit from a healthy dose of compost worked into the soil before planting. Select a spot with partial to full sun, at least 4 to 5 hours daily. Leave enough space in your garden–these plants can get quite large.

When to Plant Collards

In warm climates, collards do best when planted in the fall, as this allows them to mature during cooler weather. (They will bolt in the heat of summer!) Plus, collard greens taste even better when “kissed” by frost and will grow through snow. In cooler climates, collards can also be planted in early spring for a late spring or early summer crop. 

• Spring Planting: 
  • Indoors, start the seeds about 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost spring date.
  • Outdoors, direct-sow seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date. 
• Fall Planting: 
  • Outdoors, direct-sow seeds 2 to 3 months before your first fall frost date.

Gardeners in warm climates with little or no frost can transplant collards outdoors in fall all the way through until spring.

How to Plant Collards

Collards may be started indoors and transplanted or direct seeded in the garden. Starting collards indoors is the method for spring planting, as the seeds will germinate slowly in cold soil. Direct seed in the summer for the fall harvest.

To start collards indoors

• Sow 2 seeds per cell in standard trays or use soil blocks. 
• Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep. 
• After germination, thin to one seedling per cell. 
• Snip the extras, don’t pull them, or you might damage the roots of the remaining plants. 
• Seeds will germinate better with slightly warmer temperatures, about 75 degrees, but a cool windowsill is fine once sprouted. They can be transplanted outside once a set of true leaves has been established.

To direct-seed 

• Sow seeds ½ inch deep in groups of 3 to 4.
• Space groups about 15 inches apart, in rows 2 feet apart. 
• Thin to one seedling per group once they have sprouted.