Collards

Garden Help > Vegetables

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Pest management: Collards are in the cabbage family, and pests are similar across the family. This group is also known as cole crops or brassicas and includes broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.

The Basics

Collards are a cool season vegetable grown for their leaves. They do not form a head like cabbage.

When to plant

• Direct seed or transplant February–April (maybe May) or September-October (maybe August).
• If growing from seed for transplanting, expect six weeks for the plants to be ready.

Harvest window

• Harvest individual leaves after plants are well established, about two months after planting.
• Some people prefer to harvest the younger inner leaves rather than the older, outer leaves.

Care overview

• Collards tolerate a wide range of warm to cold temperatures, and like many members of the cabbage family, will taste sweeter after a light frost.
• For close plantings (6–12 inches apart), thin by cutting some plants at the soil level when crowding begins.
• For wider spacing (15–18 inches apart), harvest lower leaves to allow the plants to continue growing and producing more leaves.

More links

• Collard Greens—Another Loose-Leaf Cabbage Cousin, UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County
• Collard Greens, Texas A&M, AgriLife Extension

Recommended Varieties for Santa Clara County^*

^* Many other varieties may also do well here in Santa Clara County. This list is based on UC Master Gardener trials, taste tests, and feedback from local growers.