Growing Collard Greens Advice

7 years ago

Hello, I got a pack of collard green seeds from Walmart just to see if I could grow them. I put them in a ziploc bag wrapped in a paper towl and misted it. Three days later I checked on them and they had sprouted. There’s about 50 of them sprouted in the bag and now I don’t know how to plant them or how to go about it. I just got the seeds to see if I was able to grow them and apparently I can? Yet I don’t know the least bit about growing vegetables since all of my plants are only foliage Plants. Any advice on how to plant such a huge amount of the sprouted collard greens? Also how do you grow them are they best in shade or in bright light? They are about one inch long and have little leaves already. Any advice is welcome and thanked. :)

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Comments (5)

annie1992
7 years ago
I grow collards every year here in Michigan and they get BIG, so you could grow a few in containers, but I put them right into the garden as seeds and don't "start" them first at all. My garden gets full sun all day, there is no shade, so that's where they get planted.

So, if you have a garden, I'd make a row and plant your little seedlings in there. If you are going to grow them in containers, I'd do the same thing, just plant the little seedlings. Collards are sturdy but mine were nearly 3 feet tall last year and as wide as they were tall, so be prepared to give them some room to stretch out.

You may have a different variety, I grew "Vates" last year and they were monsters, although descriptions say that they are "compact". There may be smaller varieties.

I don't know where you live, but here in Michigan I'm putting seeds in the ground this week, holding off for another week or so for plants.

Annie
k
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you so much!! I have containers so I’ll be sure to plant them as soon as I can. I live in Florida we get plenty of sun so that’ll be okay for me. Also, would you happen to know the water requirements? Do they like moist soil always or??
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laceyvail 6A, WV
7 years ago
I grow collards for a fall crop. I sow them directly in the garden in mid July, and cover immediately with row covers to protect them from flea beetles and the butterfly that lays the eggs that become the cabbage worm. Easy crop to grow and my favorite green.
k thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
annie1992
7 years ago
k, mine aren't particularly picky, they only got watered when the rest of the garden did, so they didn't appear to have any water requirements that were more than anything else. I planted them right next to zucchini and cucumbers on one side and beets on the other and treated them all the same.

As laceyvail mentioned, they're easy to grow. They don't seem to be particularly picky about anything here, although the groundhogs loved them when they were small but ignored them after they matured.

Annie
k thanked annie1992
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
7 years ago
You won't be able to grow collards in Florida in the hot spring and summer. The recommended planting window is well into fall through March for winter /spring harvest.

Collards are what is called a "cool season crop". In warm climates, they simply won't develop properly in a summer growing season.

If you are truly interested in growing a few veggies, visit your University of Florida Extension web site to learn about how to have success in your own backyard garden.