Collards

Collards©Janet Allen Collards

Some years we grow collards only in the fall and some years I also grow them in the spring. We harvest the nice larger outer leaves and the plants produce new leaves for later harvest for most of the growing season.

Collards (and kale) are very pleasant to work with. They stay very clean and when you rinse them the water just rolls off. There is very little waste although we do cut out the central vein when preparing them for dinner.

Collard plant(Enlarge) ©Janet Allen
A beautiful collard plant

Collards are very productive. The leaves can get to be quite large, but they're more tender if we get out there and pick the outer leaves before they get too large.

Collards are loaded with nutrients, but tender, homegrown collards are so good you don't have to convince yourself to eat them!

Collards are liked by cabbage "worms," the larva of cabbage white butterflies. It is necessary to examine the leaves frequently and remove any of the patches of yellow eggs on the undersides of the leaves and the green "worms" (that is, caterpillars) that fed on the leaves. They can cause extensive damage if not controlled.

Harvest record

YR LB Notes
15
14 8
13 15 We had some very tasty leaves in early spring from last year's plants
12 13
11 2
10 9