Collard leaves are able for harvest after they succeed in usable size. They’ll be most attractive when picked more youthful–less than 10 inches long and dark green. Older leaves may well be tough and stringy.
Collard greens are able for harvest 75 to 85 days from transplants, and 85 to 95 days from seed.
When to Harvest Collards
- Collard leaves are most flavorful in cool local weather. Leaves may well be sweeter if harvested after frost; cool temperatures cause carbohydrates inside the leaves to turn to sugar.
- In mild-winter spaces, collards will produce new leaves as regards to all wintry climate. In onerous freeze spaces, protect collards from temperatures inside the low 20°sF—use row covers, plastic tunnels, or cold frames.
- When temperatures inside the youngsters are predicted, cover collard crops to stick the leaves from freezing. Nevertheless, frozen leaves can be cooked.
- Overwintered collards will bolt and produce plant lifestyles inside the spring; then crops must be removed and adjusted.
- Collards planted inside the spring and grown into the summer time may well be bitter if hit by the use of a summer time heatwave. On the other hand new leaves generated inside the fall when temperatures turn into cool all over again may well be tasty. The roots of summer-grown collards must be generously mulched and watered for the best style.
How you’ll Harvest Collards
- Harvest leaves from low on the stem first and then artwork your manner up the stalk. Select leaves from the outside of the plant and artwork inward. Be careful not to harm the stem where new leaves emerge.
- Leaves will come transparent of the stem with a sharp downward pull. You are able to moreover use a sharp knife.
- Cross away at least 4 leaves at the top of the plant (the emerging crown); that may allow the plant to expand new leaves for longer term harvest.
- Commonplace harvest and even watering will keep the plant producing new gentle leaves.
How you’ll Store Collards
- After harvesting collard greens, wash the leaves utterly to remove any soil that may be clinging to the bottom of the leaves.
- Store collard leaves for a variety of days to every week inside the refrigerator. Place leaves in a perforated plastic bag wrapped in a humid paper towel inside the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator to stick leaves rainy and to avoid drying.
- Collard greens will store for two to three weeks at 32° to 34°F and 90 to 95 % humidity (rainy) with some air motion.
- You are able to harvest the collard plant entire and keep the leaves contemporary indoors for a few weeks by the use of setting the roots in rainy soil or sand.
- For those who occur to organize dinner collard greens entire, stems will turn into gentle.
Additional tips at How you’ll Increase Collards.
