Growing Collard Greens

I planted Collard Green seeds last year in early Fall. The plants came up and I did not cut them down as usual. They survived the winter and now have grown to about five feet tall with yellow flowers on top. What should I do? Should I cut the flowers to promote leaf growth? Will cutting the flowers kill the plants?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

By joneslogic from New Haven, CT

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By bullfrogcorner 05/22/2009

I think that your collard greens will be tougher than usual.

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My dad has always had the most beautiful collard plants. He is trying to harvest his own seeds now. Any details? How long do you dry the pods? How long is the seed good? What's the best way to dry the pods? I need any advise and/or information.

By Brenda from Natchitoches, LA

I planted collard greens about a month ago. They look ready to pick, how will I know?

Hardiness Zone: 10a

By Jeanne from Sun City, CA

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By kffrmw88 05/14/2010

I pinch the leaves off & cook them any time I want some, you can ad a little sugar to them while cooking, taste them before serving, good luck.

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My collard green stalks are getting soft and rotting out before the season is over. It is now only the first of September. What could be causing this to happen?

By Clarence

I planted collard greens and mustard in the early summer. Can I pick and cook them now?

By Jane K.

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By LeeAnn 07/27/2011

Yes, your plants should be large enough by now. I always select a few leaves from the bottom and add to my salads, or steam the collard greens. Yummmm! You can also start new plants now to harvest throughout the winter months if your zone allows. I live in Zone 7 and have a year-round garden. I actually enjoy the winter garden best, no bugs and a wonderful mixture of greens!

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Q: I am growing collard greens and have many, many plants. I pick and cook the leaves regularly. Recently, I have noticed that 3 of my collard plants have began to go to seed and have beautifully yellow blooms from the seeds. How do I get these seeds and plant them so they can make more collard green plants? Is it too late after the blooms develop or can I cut of the bloom with stem and plant in the dirt? Please help.

Thanks,
Sheryl

A: Sheryl,

If you want to save the seeds from your collard greens, just leave some of the flowering plants alone to form seed pods. You'll be able to identify them easily once they form because they look almost like green beans. In fact, some people even eat them. The pods can be left to dry right on the plant in the same way you would leave bean pods to dry. Once dry, store them in a paper bag until you plant them. Cutting off the stem of the plant while it's blooming and planting it won't work. Collard greens are best grown from seed or by purchasing seedlings inexpensively from a nursery.

Good luck!
Ellen

By Ellen Brown

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By Anna Marie (Guest Post) 05/18/2006

Just wait and watch. The flowers will produce seeds. Wait until they are just dry and take them for use. Depending on where you live, you may want to wait to replant as they probably won't appreciate the summer heat.

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Is November too late to plant collard greens?

Hardiness Zone: 9a

By Sonya from Baker, LA

I am in Virginia and my collards lasted through the winter into this spring. They are still small in size and look great. Are they still good?

By Dia

Q: I planted my collards in the Spring of 2005 and cut them back in the Fall of 2005. These plants are still going strong. How many years can collard plants grow? Shall I cut them back to the stem again to keep them growing? Would it do any good?

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Thanking you in advance.
Holly from Dallas, TX

A: Holly,

Since is doesn't sound like you are looking to harvest the collards over the winter, I would keep cutting them back in the fall the same way you did last year. Collards are usually grown as annuals, but they can also be grown as biennials or perennials in warmer climates. They can survive temperatures to the upper 20s-even cooler if they are located in the right microclimate.

I've heard of them growing for several years before tiring out. Collards taste best during the cooler parts of the season, especially right after a light frost. This is because the plant responds to cooler temperatures by moving water from the leaves to the roots, which concentrates the sugars in the leaves and ultimately gives them a sweet flavor. You can get this same "sweet" flavor in the heat of the summer if you pop the whole plant (stems and all) into the freezer for about 10 minutes. You end up sacrificing the plant, but you get leaves with that post-frost sweet flavor.

By Ellen Brown

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By Sharon (Guest Post) 08/16/2006

Yes, I have had the same results by repeatedly pinching off the flower stalks for many years now and it works great. The plant can become like a small tree often times with many plants sprouting from the same stalk. Quite unusual as a striking yet still productive curiosity.

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My husband planted Georgia hybrid collards last October. They are about 3 1/2 feet tall. Can I still prepare the leaves and which ones? I have not harvested any of it yet. We live in central Florida. They are nice looking. Thank you.

By Lucy

I live in West Virginia. I bought collard plants the first of April and planted them. They have been growing for about 4 or 5 weeks. Now they are starting to bloom and the plants aren't that big. Should I cut the blooms off? Will the plant continue to have the large leaves after blooming?

By Karen