Collard Greens

Brassica oleracea var. viridis 'Georgia Southern'

vegetable

Georgia Southern is an 1880s heirloom collard, a hardy loose-leaf brassica that is a Southern staple, with large, smooth, blue-green leaves on tall plants with white stalks. More heat- and cold-tolerant than most cabbages, it crops over a long season and turns noticeably sweeter after frost.

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Sun

full sun

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Water

Every 2 days

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Harvest

~75 days

📊

Difficulty

easy

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Lifecycle

biennial

Leaves year 1, flowers year 2

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Spacing

18-24 in. apart

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Planting Depth

1/4-1/2 in.

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Soil pH

6.0-6.8

Growing Details

Soil Type

Rich, well-draining

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3 – 10

Grown as an annual. This range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.

When to Fertilize

At planting, then every 4-6 weeks

Fertilizer

Nitrogen-rich (fish emulsion)

🌱 Growing Guide

Direct sow 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in late summer for a fall crop, or start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks ahead for spring, spacing plants 18 inches or more apart in fertile soil at pH 6.0 to 6.5. Give full sun and keep the soil consistently moist to at least 6 inches deep, and side-dress with nitrogen a few weeks after planting and again later, since nitrogen drives high-quality leaves. Plants are ready in 60 to 80 days.

Planting Calendar

spring planting

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Start seeds indoors

Feb 18

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Transplant outdoors

Apr 1

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Projected first harvest

Jun 15

fall planting

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Start seeds indoors

Jul 7

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Transplant outdoors

Aug 11

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Projected first harvest

Oct 25

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

Dill: Attracts parasitic wasps that hunt cabbage worms
Nasturtium: Trap crop for aphids
Onions: Scent helps mask the crop from pests
Sweet Alyssum: Draws aphid-eating hoverflies

❌ Keep away from

StrawberryTomato

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

Cabbage worms and loopers
Use row cover, handpick, and apply Bt if needed
Aphids
Hose off colonies; encourage ladybugs with nearby flowers
Flea beetles
Row cover young plants until established

🌾 Harvest & storage

Pick the lower, outer leaves cut-and-come-again once they reach hand size to keep the plant producing, or cut the whole plant at once. Mature plants withstand frosts and light freezes, which sweeten the flavor; leaves keep up to two weeks refrigerated.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Collards are a nutritional standout: a cooked cup delivers many times the daily value of vitamin K plus about a quarter of the daily calcium, along with large amounts of vitamins A and C, folate, and fiber, at under 50 calories.

For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.