Planting and care
How to grow collard greens
When to grow
Cool season · Annual / biennial grown as annual
How to start
Seed or transplant
Mature size
18–36 in tall and wide, cultivar-dependent
Time to harvest
Baby leaves: 25–35 days from seed; mature kale: 50–70 days; collards: 55–85 days. Transplants shorten time in the bed.
Feeding needs
Heavy feeder
Growth habit
Large Leafy
How to prune
Remove yellow or heavily damaged lower leaves; keep the central bud intact. Do not strip the plant bare or cut its main growing tip during ongoing harvest.
How to harvest
Snap or cut the oldest lower leaves at their stems when about hand-size. Leave the upper cluster growing and harvest a few leaves per plant at a time.
Harvest and kitchen use
Braised, sautéed, steamed, soups and fresh young leaves
Nutrition and garden value
Vitamins A, C and K plus fiber
Cold-tolerant, long-harvest leafy crop
Common challenges and troubleshooting
Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles and heat stress