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Vegetable Crop Calendars (A–C)Collard Greens Planting Calendar
Collards are tough, heat-tolerant and frost-sweetened, which makes them one of the easiest greens to fit into almost any season.
Key points
- Collards tolerate heat and frost.
- Plant a few weeks before last frost in spring, or in summer for fall.
- Fall growth is often sweetest.
- Pick lower leaves and leave the growing tip.
- Use row cover for caterpillars.
Why are collards so adaptable?
Collards belong to the cabbage family but handle warm weather better than most of their relatives. They also tolerate frost and often taste better after cool nights. That combination lets gardeners in the South grow them through much of the year and gardeners in the North grow them from spring into late fall.
This flexibility means your calendar can be built around your own preferences for when you want greens.
One more reason to plant collards is reliability. In a year when other crops fail from weather, collards often keep going, and a patch left standing can feed a household for months in mild areas. Check the maturity listed for your variety, since it affects how early you can pick the first leaves.
When do you plant in spring?
Plant seed or transplants a few weeks before the last frost, when soil can be worked. Light frost rarely harms them. Harvest leaves as plants grow, and keep picking until summer heat or bolting slows production.
Check your state guide for lead times, because they vary with climate.
Thin seedlings early to the spacing in your guide, since crowded collards produce smaller leaves. If you start transplants indoors, they should be sturdy and not stretched when they go outside. Water at the base, not overhead, to keep leaves dry and reduce disease.
When do you plant for fall and winter?
Many growers consider fall the best season for collards. Sow or transplant in mid to late summer, counting back from your first fall frost using the days to maturity plus a margin. Growth continues into cool weather, and frost often improves flavor.
For example, in a mild-winter area, you may plant in late summer and pick through winter. In colder places, a hard freeze may end the harvest, though a mulch or cover can extend it. Use these examples only as a guide and set your dates from your own frost records.
Leaves can be harvested continuously, taking lower leaves first. Record your first fall frost each year. After a few seasons you will see how much it varies, and you can plant with a margin that matches the range rather than the average. Pests and heat both build through summer, so a bed planted in midsummer often has fewer problems than one that has been standing since spring. Gardeners who want clean leaves sometimes start fresh plants rather than nursing old ones through the worst months.
- Find your average first fall frost date.
- Use the lead time in your state guide for how many weeks before frost to plant.
- Mulch and water well in summer heat.
- Cover with row cover if a hard freeze threatens.
How do you harvest collards?
Pick lower, mature leaves first and leave the growing tip so the plant keeps producing. Young leaves are more tender. Cut or snap leaves cleanly and avoid pulling the plant out of the soil.
If you want to preserve collards, use tested procedures from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or your extension office.
Some varieties are bred to be more cold-tolerant or slower to bolt. Ask your extension office which ones perform best locally, since variety trials are often published by state. Cut leaves just above the stem base, and rinse them promptly in cool water. Leaves that wilt in the heat of the day can often be revived by a short soak.
What soil and watering do collards need?
Fertile, well-drained soil and steady moisture produce tender leaves. A soil test shows pH and nutrient levels, and extension offices can help interpret results. Nutrient management rules vary by state, so follow local recommendations.
Mulch keeps soil cool and moist in summer. Follow local water rules when irrigating.
A light feeding during the season keeps leaves coming, guided by your soil test and local recommendations.
Which pests and problems affect collards?
Cabbage worms, aphids, harlequin bugs and flea beetles are common, depending on region. Floating row cover and regular scouting are common non-chemical steps. Rotation and removing plant residue reduce carryover.
If a pesticide is ever considered, read the label, observe the pre-harvest interval, protect pollinators and check applicator licensing rules. Ask your extension office what is currently active.
Cover crops or compost after harvest rebuild the bed, and rotation to a non-brassica crop breaks pest cycles.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.