Jump – start for collards in your garden! How? We prepare the soil in our collards beds in fall, and sow the seeds right then. A light mulch of straw and /or chopped leaves protects the seeds over the winter. So, as soon as the soil thaws in early spring, they are ready to get growing!
Collard greens are one of those cold-tolerant plants.. In fact, a touch of light frost actually makes them sweeter! Collard greens can be sweet and tender when young. Collard greens are one vegetable I just can’t resist. Their thick, meaty leaves, propped up by huge center ribs, are monsters in the world of leafy greens.
The larger, more mature leaves are fibrous and full of beta carotene and antioxidants. I love their beauty, so big and elephantine, leathery and deep blue-green The nutrients found in collards have been known to fight off cancer. Collard greens are high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate.
Collards are members of the cabbage family, but the leaves don’t form a head. Instead, they remain loose. If you grow collards in your garden, just cut off a few leaves from each plant and the collards will quickly grow more leaves to replace them.
You can plant them in spring and fall, although fall-planted collards are favored because the leaves are sweeter when kissed by frost
Plant in fertile soil because collards should grow fast to produce tender leaves. They need fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 to discourage clubroot disease.
Collards are slower growing than other greens, but they will tolerate a wider range of soils. You need to avoid soils that hold water in the winter, or your plants will rot. If your soil stays wet in the winter, consider using raised beds.
Collard greens are probably originated in the eastern European or Asia minor region and today are grown in almost all parts of the cooler temperate regions The plant grows up to 3-4 feet in height and bears dark green leaves arranged in a rosette fashion around an upright, stocky main stem.
Several cultivar types of collard greens are grown around the planet depending on the soil type, climate etc.
- Blue Max: It has very attractive savoy- like blue-green leaves.
- Georgia: It is also known as Georgia LS or Georgia Southern. It has blue-green and slightly savored leaves.
- Vates: Plant is compact and leaves are smooth and dark green.
- Champion: Low growing plant, featuring smooth, dark-green leaves with short internodes.
- Flash: It is a very uniform Vates type with smooth, dark-green leaves.
- Heavy-Crop: It has very large, slightly savoy like, blue-green leaves. Leaves have close internodes spacing so bunching can be more difficult.
Collards are easy to transplant. Set plants deeply so that about half the stem is buried. Space transplants at the distance given on the label. If you don’t have the label, a good general spacing is 36 inches apart. After planting, water and fertilize.
The plant is generally ready to harvest at 6-8 weeks after planting. Usually the whole plant is cut about 4 inches from the ground. Usually, the cut ends sprouts again and bears new stems from the sides which can then be harvested again after few weeks.
Whenever possible, use collards while they are fresh. Collards have relatively good shelf-life, can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Even though collards may be considered by some people as a poor man’s crop, they actually have a long and distinguished history.
This perennial is one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. Historians claim that the vegetable has been used for food for thousands of years. By 1669, early American gardeners began growing collard greens.
Jump-start for collards in your garden . You’ll want to include collard greens as one of the cruciferous vegetables you eat on a regular basis if you want to receive their fantastic health benefits.
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Here is the link about nutrition of collards:
» A Surprising Way To Lower Cholesterol With Collard Greens » Natural Health Solutions
Yours truly for a great garden with flowers, berries, and veggies
Polly – Organic Gardener
