How to Grow Champion Collards
Brassica oleracea var. viridis 'Champion'
Champion Collards are a resilient brassica variety prized for their tender leaves and ability to thrive in cool weather. Gardeners grow them for their exceptional heat and cold tolerance, which allows for an extended harvest season even when other crops struggle.
Starting Champion Collards: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 4 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
If starting indoors, move sturdy seedlings outdoors after the danger of frost has passed, spacing them eighteen to twenty-four inches apart in prepared soil.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil by ensuring it has a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors or start indoors two to six weeks before the last spring frost. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about one-quarter inch. Germination typically occurs within seven to fourteen days under these conditions.
Space plants eighteen to twenty-four inches apart to ensure proper airflow and growth. While they do not require trellising, keep the soil consistently moist with about one inch of water per week. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if leaves appear pale.
Watch for cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, and harlequin bugs; use row covers or hand-pick pests early. Prevent fungal issues like black rot by avoiding overhead watering. Harvest the tender outer leaves after sixty to seventy-five days. You can also pull entire heads once they are well-established.
When to Plant Champion Collards
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Champion Collards
✓ Good companions
Improve soil structure, attract beneficial insects, compatible root depths
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms
Natural fungicide properties, repels aphids and cabbage loopers
Efficient space usage as ground cover, similar nutrient requirements
Repel cabbage worms, aphids, and other brassica pests
Trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, repels cucumber beetles
Repel cabbage maggots, aphids, and other soil-dwelling pests
Repels cabbage worms and flea beetles through aromatic compounds
✗ Keep away from
May shade collards excessively and compete for growing space
Both are heavy feeders competing for similar nutrients, especially nitrogen
Compete for nutrients and may stunt collard growth through root competition
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
