Seasonal produce
When are collard greens in season?
Collards are a cool-season crop. North Carolina State Extension Plant Toolbox calls them cool-weather edible garden plants and says that in the South they can be grown all winter because they tolerate frost and light freezes. NC State says they tend to have the best flavor after a frost. Florida planting windows from UF/IFAS run through fall and winter. Dates below name their source; outside those states, check your local extension office.
Collard season at a glance
NC State Extension Plant Toolbox (Brassica oleracea Collards Group): cool-weather / cool-season vegetable; plant in spring or fall; in the South they can be grown all winter long and tolerate frost and light freezes; they tend to have the best flavor after a frost. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions calls collards a cool-season crop for fall and winter in Florida and gives planting windows by region (below). Mid-October falls inside UF/IFAS’s fall planting windows.
By region
Florida (UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, Collards): plant outdoors in fall and winter — September through April in North Florida, September through February in Central Florida, and September through January in South Florida. From seed, greens are generally ready in 70 to 90 days; from transplants, about 50 to 70 days. You can stagger plantings every couple of weeks for a longer harvest. North Carolina and the wider South: NC State says collards can be grown all winter in the South and tolerate frost and light freezes, with spring or fall planting. For the Midwest, Northeast, Mountain West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest and California, this guide has no extension planting calendar, so your local market or extension office is the best guide.
Why frost helps the flavor
NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: collards tend to have the best flavor after a frost. The page also notes they tolerate frost and light freezes in the South. UF/IFAS separately says it helps to pick collards during cold months, after the first frost (see picking, below).
How to pick a good bunch
UF/IFAS: for best-tasting collards, harvest leaves when they are young (about 10 to 12 inches long), before they become tough and woody; pick during cold months after the first frost; snip older outer leaves so the center keeps growing. Avoid leaves that are yellowed, wilted, dried, or insect-damaged. Store leaves whole and unwashed in the refrigerator until use; they should last from a few days up to a week. Wash thoroughly in multiple water cycles so grit is gone. NC State: pick leaves before they reach full size for the best texture; once flowers start to develop, flavor diminishes — choose a slow-bolting variety to stretch the harvest.
What to cook
UF/IFAS notes collards can be sautéed or used in soups, stews and casseroles, and that braised collards are a classic Southern side. For more cool-season cooking on this site, see the kale and white bean pot, the leeks and Brussels sprouts season guides, the November produce guide and the produce checklist.
Recipes and related guides
November produce guide · When are leeks in season? · When are Brussels sprouts in season? · Kale and white bean pot · Produce checklist
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