They are pretty slow to start. Takes at least 6 weeks to transplant size. I start mine outside in semi shade so have no experience with inhouse growing. I use a good planting mix in the plant bed, but don't use any additional fertilizer. Started the last week in July, finished setting 200 plants this afternoon.

Well, I'm just taking them inside at night so the possums won't nibble them. And yes, when I put them outside, they're in semi-shade. 95F daytime temps and full sun are deadly to seedlings. But 6-weeks to transplant size may be consistent with what I'm seeing. They've just had their two cotyledon leaves on them for more than a week.

my experience is the same as farmerdill. I grow about 100 per growing season.

OK, I am now *barely* seeing their first mature leaves forming between the cotyledon leaves. Two weeks after planting. Boy, these guys take their time! Slow because they're southern? Heh. When the temp is 90F here in March, my plants are growing at a blistering clip. Northerners are still chipping the ice off their soil, then.

oops, I assumed they would grow quickly as I think my variety (Georgia) says to begin harvesting in abt 50 days but after reading some of your comments, maybe I've begun my plants too late in the season?

I actually came here to ask how many plants I would need to grow in order to harvest enough leaves at one picking to cook for one person? I know it takes a lot of leaves because they cook down but have no idea how many leaves are picked from each plant. I've never grown veggies so really flying by the seat of my pants! I usually grow flowers but thought with those winding down for the year, I'd like to try and grow a few fall collard plants.

I just transplanted the tiny seedlings into individual growing tubes today so they can develop a bit of root before planting into the garden.

My thanks for your help.

Mary

In your climate Mary, they should grow into February when they will begin bolting. The leaves on a maturing plant are huge, so about 6 plants should suffice. Of course if you pick them earlier it will take more. Transplant set around the first of September will have nice large plants at Thanksgiving. I don't eat them before the first killing frost and I cut the entire plant as I like the tender cntral leaves. While I have grown Georgia and its knock offs I prefer the cabbage collards for eating.

I grow 100, but

1) for 3 families

2) in winter it is the only fresh vegetable, for about 4 months

3) the repeated freezes kill most of the outside leaves, leaving only the heart of the plant useable

so 6 and 100 are somewhat consistent with each other.

Farmerdill,

Thank you so much for your most helpful reply. And thank you for the name of another type of collards. If I'm successful with these plants, I'll try the Cabbage Collards next year.

Mary

Glib,

Thank you for confirming the number of plants needed and for this additional information. It is very helpful. It wouldn't have occurred to me to look inside the plant if the outer leaves looked damaged by a freeze! I enjoy watching things grow and am looking forward to learning more about this leafed veggie.

Mary

More than three weeks out and I have *two* tiny main leaves on each plant. Yep, it'll be 6 weeks before these are transplantable. Healthy, but sloooow. At this rate, it'll be a few years before they get mature and harvestable. I'm assuming at some point they speed up.

Yes, they jump at some point. and they are a lot less moody after transplant than cabbage.

Well, here it is to weeks later, and they're doing great. About 4 inches tall, and growing rapidly. They'll go in the ground next weekend. Thanks for the advice. They really need time after sprouting to get moving. Lesson learned.

I've got my small area worked up with added compost and just about ready to set out my collards. Think I'll use a collar around each since I've so few plants to putter about with.

Also, I forgot to ask, after the first frost, am I supposed to harvest the outer leaves of each plant and leave some to grow on. How will I know when I've taken enough leaves off of each plant? How often can the leaves be harvested? I guess you can tell I've never grown veggies before! :-)

What type of fertilizer should I use? Maybe something like a fish emulsion? Sad to say my soil is not as healthy as it should be but I am working on it.

My thanks to everyone for your helpful comments. I'm so excited to see if I can grow something I can actually eat.

Mary

for continued growth they should have some leaves plus the heart, not just the heart. In time you will see the difference between heart, young leaf, and young-mature leaf to be consumed. For fertilizer, frankly, urine and collard were made for each other.