How to Grow Collard Greens 'Georgia Southern'
Brassica oleracea var. acephala 'Georgia Southern'
Collard greens 'Georgia Southern' are a resilient brassica variety prized for their tender leaves and ability to thrive in cooler weather. Gardeners grow them not just for nutrition, but because this heirloom cultivar tolerates heat stress better than many relatives while remaining easy to cultivate.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Collard Greens 'Georgia Southern': 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 they have developed a few true leaves and the risk of hard frost has passed.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil by ensuring it is loose and rich in organic matter with 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 into the soil at a depth of about an inch; they typically germinate within seven to fourteen days.
Space plants eighteen to twenty-four inches apart to allow for good air circulation and growth. While these greens do not require trellising, keep them well-watered with one to one-and-a-half inches per week once established. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if growth seems sluggish.
Watch for cabbage worms, flea beetles, aphids, and harlequin bugs; use row covers or insecticidal soap to manage them early. Prevent fungal issues like black rot or clubroot by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good drainage. Harvest leaves when the plant is mature, usually sixty to eighty-five days after sowing, picking outer leaves first.
When to Plant Collard Greens 'Georgia Southern'
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 Collard Greens 'Georgia Southern'
✓ Good companions
Deep roots don't compete with shallow collard roots, helps break up soil
Attracts beneficial wasps that parasitize cabbage worms and aphids
Deters cabbage loopers and aphids, improves overall plant health
Grows in collard shade, efficient space usage, similar water needs
Repels cabbage moths, aphids, and other brassica pests with strong scent
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cabbage worms, repels cucumber beetles
Repels cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles that commonly attack collards
Compatible growth habits, harvested before collards need full space
✗ Keep away from
Can shade collards excessively and compete for nitrogen
Different water and nutrient requirements, may stunt collard growth
Compete for nutrients, tomatoes may inhibit collard growth through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
