Oregon · Washington · Idaho
When to plant collards
Plant in the garden: Portland and Seattle Mar 15 – Apr 26; Spokane Apr 15 – May 27; Boise Apr 1 – May 13; Bend May 12 – Jun 23.
Your dates in
Collards are a cabbage-family green with big, flat, smooth leaves that never form a head, a staple of Southern cooking, slow-simmered with smoked meat. The leaves are also used raw as wraps or sliced thin into salads. Botanically they're the same species as kale, cabbage and broccoli.
Puts collards on your free plan, with dates for your town and a spot in your beds.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 inches apart
- Planting depth
- Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot
- Frost
- Handles light frost
- First harvest
- About 60 days after planting
Kale's broad-leaved cousin and one of the hardiest greens for Northwest winters. Frost makes the leaves sweeter, and plants keep producing from fall into spring west of the Cascades.
Collard planting dates
| Towns | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the garden | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR, Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
| Spokane, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 3–17 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID, Astoria, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – Jun 23 | — |
Dates for six main cities. For any of the other 80 towns, type it in the box at the top of the page or browse all towns.
| Gresham, OR, Oregon City and West Linn, OR, Portland, OR, St. Helens and Scappoose, OR, Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro and Beaverton, OR | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 6–20 |
| Corvallis and Albany, OR, Eugene, OR, Salem, OR | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove, OR | Feb 13–27 | Mar 27 – May 8 | Aug 6–20 |
| McMinnville and Newberg, OR | Feb 4–18 | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 6–20 |
| Ashland and Talent, OR | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – May 20 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants Pass, OR, Medford, OR, Roseburg, OR | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
| Astoria, OR, Brookings and Gold Beach, OR, Coos Bay and North Bend, OR, Newport and Lincoln City, OR, Tillamook, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|
| Bend and Redmond, OR | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – Jun 23 | — |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burns, OR | Apr 2–16 | May 14 – Jun 25 | — |
| Klamath Falls, OR | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – Jun 23 | Jul 10–24 |
| Lakeview, OR | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 7 – Jun 18 | Jul 9–23 |
| Madras, OR | Mar 10–24 | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Prineville, OR | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – Jun 15 | Jul 14–28 |
| Baker City, OR | Mar 16–30 | Apr 27 – Jun 8 | Jul 7–21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise and Joseph, OR | Mar 15–29 | Apr 26 – Jun 7 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Hermiston, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 1–15 |
| Hood River, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 4–18 |
| John Day, OR | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jul 10–24 |
| La Grande, OR | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Ontario, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 5–19 |
| Pendleton, OR, The Dalles, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
| Bremerton and Port Orchard, WA, Everett, WA, Kent, Renton and Auburn, WA, Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 5–19 |
| Shelton, WA | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – May 11 | Aug 6–20 |
| Anacortes, WA, Bellingham, WA, Friday Harbor and the San Juans, WA, Mount Vernon and Burlington, WA, Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island, WA | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA, Forks, WA, Long Beach and Ilwaco, WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Angeles, WA, Port Townsend, WA | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
| Sequim, WA | Feb 10–24 | Mar 24 – May 5 | Aug 6–20 |
| Centralia and Chehalis, WA | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25 – May 6 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview and Kelso, WA, Vancouver, WA | Feb 1–15 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 6–20 |
| Chelan, WA, Wenatchee, WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leavenworth, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Winthrop and Twisp, WA | Mar 6–20 | Apr 17 – May 29 | Jul 14–28 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ephrata and Quincy, WA, Walla Walla, WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
| Goldendale, WA | Mar 10–24 | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jul 17–31 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser, WA | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 2–16 |
| Yakima, WA | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Colville, WA, Pullman, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 3–17 |
| Bonners Ferry, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 6–20 |
| Sandpoint, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Lewiston, ID | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 6–20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmett, ID | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 6–20 |
| McCall, ID | Apr 13–27 | May 25 – Jul 6 | — |
| Nampa and Caldwell, ID | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – May 13 | Aug 4–18 |
| Burley and Rupert, ID, Twin Falls, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Pocatello, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Aug 2–16 |
| Rexburg, ID | Mar 4–18 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Jul 16–30 |
| Salmon, ID | Mar 8–22 | Apr 19 – May 31 | Jul 16–30 |
Collard year at a glance
| Task | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start indoors | Feb | |||||||||||
| Plant | Mar | Apr | Aug | |||||||||
| Harvest | Jan | Feb | Mar | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Around Portland. Colder towns, especially east of the Cascades, run a few weeks later; the table above has your town's planting dates.
How to grow collards
- Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
- Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
- Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 18 to 24 inches apart. Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
- Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
- Harvest: Pick the lower leaves when they're about the size of your hand, and let the top keep growing. Leaves picked after a frost taste sweetest.
Growing collards in your part of the Northwest
The same plant behaves differently on the wet west side, the foggy coast and the dry, colder east side.
West-side valleys
Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, southern Oregon
Collards handle cold and keep producing through most west-side winters. Pick lower leaves often.
Coast
Oregon and Washington coast
Collards grow well in the cool, wet climate and can be picked almost all year.
East of the Cascades
Columbia Basin, Yakima, Boise, Spokane, north Idaho
Collards take summer heat better than most cabbage-family crops. Keep them watered and watch for aphids.
High desert and mountain towns
Central Oregon, high eastern Oregon valleys, McCall, Salmon
Collards handle hard frost. Plant in spring for harvests from summer into late fall.
More collard varieties
More widely sold picks that do well somewhere in the Northwest. The tag says which part of the Northwest suits each one best.
Champion
An improved Vates collard with dark blue-green leaves on compact plants. It is very cold-hardy and slow to bolt, so it keeps producing from fall well into spring.
Both sides
Georgia Southern
The classic Southern collard: tall plants with big, smooth, blue-green leaves. It handles both summer heat and hard frost, and the flavor sweetens after cold weather.
Both sides
Vates
A short, sturdy collard with broad, slightly crinkled leaves. Long a favorite for overwintering, it stands up to cold, wind and rain.
Both sides
Flash
A fast hybrid with smooth, dark leaves and good bolt resistance. A dependable pick for spring plantings, when other collards may bolt early.
Both sides
How much to grow
How many to plant
For a family of four, 4 to 6 plants. They produce for months.
What to expect
Each plant gives several large leaves a week for months.
Storing the harvest
Keep a week in the fridge. Blanch and freeze extras.
What to plant after collards
Around Portland, the collard harvest wraps up around March. These crops can still go into the same bed, and they come from a different plant family, which helps with rotation.
- Peas Mar 1 – Apr 12
- Spinach Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Lettuce Mar 1 – Apr 26
- Onions Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Cilantro Mar 1 – Apr 19
- Fava beans Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Sweet peas Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Mâche Mar 1 – Apr 5
Peas 
Spinach 
Lettuce 
Onions 
Cilantro 
Fava beans 
Sweet peas 
Mâche Portland dates. Pick your town at the top of the page for yours.
Key numbers
- 6.0–7.5Soil pH
- 18–24 inchesSpacing
- Down to about 10°FCold hardiness
- Cabbage wormsBiggest risk
Top care tip: Harvest the lower leaves a few at a time, and one plant keeps producing well into winter.
Growing notes
What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.
Why collards suit Northwest winters
Collards are a loose-leaf member of the cabbage family, very close to kale. They're tougher than most of their cousins: established plants usually ride out freezes into the low teens, and cold weather turns some of the starch in the leaves to sugar, which is why winter collards taste milder and sweeter than summer ones.
West of the Cascades, a planting set out in midsummer gives leaves from fall right through to spring. East of the Cascades, hard winters can kill them, but fall harvests are still excellent.
Soil, feeding and picking
Like all leafy cabbage-family crops, collards want rich soil with plenty of nitrogen and a pH of about 6.0 to 7.5. Mix in compost before planting and side-dress with a balanced fertilizer a month later. Keep the soil evenly moist; stressed plants get tough, bitter leaves.
Pick from the bottom up, taking two or three leaves per plant at a time and leaving the growing tip alone. A well-fed plant keeps making new leaves for months.
Keeping pests off
The white cabbage butterfly lays eggs on the leaves, and the green caterpillars that hatch chew big holes. Aphids cluster under leaves in late summer. Insect netting or row cover laid over hoops from planting day is the simplest fix. Hand-pick any caterpillars you find, and knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Don't grow collards in the same spot as kale, cabbage or broccoli two years running. That breaks the cycle of clubroot and other soil diseases the family shares.
Good neighbors and crop rotation
Good neighbors
- Lettuce and onions. Fill the space around young plants.
- Dill and calendula. Their flowers draw beneficial insects.
Keep apart
- Other cabbage-family crops in the same bed every year. Shared pests and clubroot build up; rotate.
Cabbage family: Grow cabbage-family crops in a different bed each year and come back to the same spot only every three or four years. Clubroot, which swells and knots the roots, lives in the soil for many years once it arrives, and root maggot pupae wait in last year's bed.
Pests and problems
What most often goes wrong with collards in Northwest gardens, how to spot it and what to do.
Cabbage worms
Signs: Holes and green caterpillars on the leaves.
What to do: Insect netting from planting, and hand-pick.
Gray aphids
Signs: Waxy clusters under the leaves in late summer.
What to do: Spray off with water and remove badly infested leaves.
Slugs
Signs: Holes in lower leaves in wet weather.
What to do: Slug bait and clearing old, low leaves.
Common questions about growing collards
When should I plant collards in Oregon, Washington and Idaho?
Plant in the garden: Mar 15 – Apr 26 in Portland and Seattle, Apr 15 – May 27 in Spokane, Apr 1 – May 13 in Boise and May 12 – Jun 23 in Bend. Pick your town at the top of the page for your own dates.
What's the difference between collards and kale?
They're the same species with different leaves. Collards have broad, flat, smooth leaves; most kales are curly or crinkled. Collards are a bit more heat-tolerant and slightly milder.
When do collards taste best?
After a few frosts. Cold makes the plant store sugar in its leaves, so fall and winter collards are noticeably sweeter.
Can I grow collards in summer?
Yes, they handle heat better than most cabbage-family greens. In hot eastern valleys, give them afternoon shade and steady water.
See what else to plant in February, March, April or August.
Kale
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Bok choy
Kohlrabi
Mustard greens