Kale 'Georgia southern collard'

Very hardy and generally pest-free. Grows well in poor soil. It’s a very easy plant to grow. Flowers are self-incompatible, which means they can not be fertilized by pollen from other flowers on the same plant. To save seeds, several individual plants are required to maintain genetic stability — at least 10, but 30 or some would say 100 or more is better. Therefore it’s hard to save seeds on a small scale.

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Georgia southern collard is thought of as very hardy, so this plant will survive though longer winters with little or no damage. Georgia southern collard requires a loamy soil with a ph of 6.0 - 7.5 - it grows best in weakly acidic soil to weakly alkaline soil.

Look to ensure a distance 2.97 inches (7.62 cm) between seeds when sowing - bury at a depth of at least 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) deep. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 13°C / 55°F to ensure good germination.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Georgia southern collard about 49 days before your last frost date.

Transplant to space them when the seedlings show true leaves.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Georgia southern collard is a very hardy plant.

You may harvest collard greens at your leisure (but plan on using them within a few days). Start harvest at 4-6 weeks after starting seed. If leaves are large when harvested the central stalk through the leaf may need to be removed before cooking.¹

Expect harvests to start to occur in mid spring.

“Collard” is an altered form of the word “colewort” which means cabbage plant.

Georgia, Georgia green, Creole

¹ www.gardeningblog.net

² sustainableseedco.com/heirloom-vegetable-seeds/ce-k/collard-greens/georgia-southern-collard-greens.html