When To Plant Collards In Sc

If you’re planning your South Carolina garden, knowing when to plant collards in sc is the first step to a great harvest. This cool-season favorite thrives here, but timing is everything to beat the heat and ensure sweet, tender leaves.

Collards are a staple in Southern gardens for good reason. They’re nutritious, resilient, and can produce for months. With South Carolina’s long growing seasons, you can often get two planting windows—one in late summer for a fall feast, and another in late winter for an early spring bounty. Let’s get your timing just right.

For most of South Carolina, the optimal planting times are centered around cool weather. Collards taste best after a light frost, which makes them sweeter. They can handle our heat to a point, but planting at the correct time avoids bolting, where the plant goes to seed and turns bitter.

Primary Planting Windows

The state has three main gardening zones: Upstate, Midlands, and Coastal. While timings shift slightly, the principles are the same.

Fall Planting (Most Popular): This is the premier season. Sow seeds or transplant seedlings from mid-August through mid-September. This gives plants time to mature during the cooling days of fall. They’ll be ready for harvest from late October onward, often lasting right through winter.
Spring Planting: You can also plant in early spring. Aim to get seeds in the ground 4-6 weeks before your last average frost date. For the Upstate, this is late February to March. In the Coastal region, you can start as early as late January. The goal is to harvest before the intense summer heat arrives.
Winter Planting (Coastal & Protected Areas): In milder coastal areas or with cold frames, you can sometimes plant in very late winter for a very early spring crop.

Regional Timing Breakdown

Here’s a more detailed look based on where you are:

Upstate SC (Zones 7b-8a)

Fall Planting: August 1 – September 15
Spring Planting: February 15 – March 31
Note: Frosts come earlier here, so lean toward the earlier side of the fall window.

Midlands SC (Zone 8a)

Fall Planting: August 15 – September 30
Spring Planting: February 1 – March 15

Coastal SC (Zones 8b-9a)

Fall Planting: September 1 – October 15
Spring Planting: January 20 – February 28
Note: The longer fall allows for later planting, but watch for unexpected early heat waves.

How to Plant Collards Successfully

Once you’ve got your dates circled on the calender, follow these steps for a healthy bed.

1. Choosing a Site & Soil Prep

Collards need full sun, at least 6 hours daily. They can tolerate partial afternoon shade in hotter areas, which is a good trick for spring plantings. The soil should be well-draining but moisture-retentive, rich in organic matter.

Work the soil to a depth of about 10-12 inches.
Mix in 2-4 inches of finished compost or well-rotted manure. This improves texture and fertility.
Aim for a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. A simple soil test from your local extension office can confirm this.

2. Seeding vs. Transplants

You can start collards from seed sown directly in the garden or by using transplants you buy or start yourself.

Direct Seeding: Sow seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep. Space them about 3 inches apart initially. Once seedlings are a few inches tall, thin them to their final spacing of 12-18 inches apart. Rows should be 2-3 feet apart.
Using Transplants: This gives you a head start, especially useful for the fall planting window. Set transplants at the same final spacing, planting them slightly deeper than they were in their pot.

3. Watering and Feeding

Consistent moisture is key for tender leaves. Water deeply to encourage deep roots, providing about 1-1.5 inches of water per week. A layer of mulch (straw, pine straw, or shredded leaves) helps retain soil moisture and keeps weeds down.

Feed your plants for strong growth. At planting, you can use a balanced organic fertilizer. Side-dress with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, like blood meal or a balanced blend, when plants are about one-third grown, and again if needed mid-season.

Seasonal Care Tips

Your care routine changes a bit depending on when you planted.

For Fall-Planted Collards

Monitor water closely in the late summer heat at establishment.
As temperatures drop, growth slows. Reduce watering frequency but don’t let them dry out completely.
A heavy frost (below 25°F) may damage leaves. You can cover plants with row cover or an old bedsheet for protection on cold nights.
Often, the main stalk will survive frost and produce new leaves in spring if winter is mild.

For Spring-Planted Collards

The main challenge is bolting as days lengthen and warm. Choose bolt-resistant varieties like ‘Champion’ or ‘Georgia Southern’.
Keep them well-watered as heat increases, and harvest leaves regularly to encourage the plant to focus on leaf production.
Once consistent hot weather (above 80°F) sets in, the plants will decline. It’s best to remove them and plan for your fall crop.

Common Pests and Problems

Collards are tough, but a few pests find them as tasty as we do.

Cabbage Loopers & Imported Cabbageworms: These green caterpillars are the most common issue. Handpick them or use an organic control like Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which is very effective.
Aphids: They cluster on undersides of leaves. A strong spray of water from the hose often knocks them off. Insecticidal soap is another good option.
Flea Beetles: These tiny jumping beetles make small holes in leaves. Row cover placed over young plants immediately after planting provides an excellent physical barrier.
Diseases: Good spacing for air flow and avoiding overhead watering helps prevent fungal issues like downy mildew. Rotate where you plant collards and other cabbage family crops each year.

Harvesting Your Bounty

You can start harvesting leaves when they are about the size of your hand. There’s two main methods:

Whole Plant Harvest: Cut the entire plant at the base when it’s mature.
Cut-and-Come-Again (Recommended): This extends your harvest for months. Harvest the older, lower leaves first by cutting them at the stem, leaving the central growing bud intact. New leaves will grow from the center. Always leave at least 4-5 small leaves on the plant so it can keep growing.

For the sweetest flavor, harvest after a light frost. The cold triggers the plant to convert starches to sugars. Morning harvests are best, when leaves are crisp and full of moisture.

Recommended Varieties for SC

Some tried-and-true collard varieties excel in our Southern climate:

Georgia Southern: The classic heirloom. Slow to bolt, very heat and cold tolerant. Great for beginners.
Champion: A compact plant with tender, dark blue-green leaves. Holds well in heat and cold.
Vates: Another reliable heirloom, known for its dwarf growth habit and cold resistance.
Flash: A hybrid known for it’s uniform growth and tolerance to multiple growing conditions.

FAQ

Can you plant collards in the summer in South Carolina?
It’s not ideal. The intense heat stresses the plants, making them bitter and more prone to bolting and pests. For a summer harvest, you’d need to plant in very early spring.

How late is too late to plant collards for fall?
A good rule is to ensure plants are mostly mature before your first hard frost (below 28°F). If planting from seed, count back the days to maturity on your seed packet from your average first frost date. In the Coastal region, you can plant later than in the Upstate.

Will collards grow back every year?
Collards are technically biennials, but we grow them as annuals. They won’t reliably come back like a perennial, though a fall-planted collard may survive a mild winter and produce a spring flush of leaves before bolting.

What can I plant next to collards?
Good companions include herbs like dill and mint, which can deter pests, as well as onions, potatoes, and beets. Avoid planting them with other cabbage family crops (like broccoli or kale) right next to each other, as they attract the same pests.

Why are my collard leaves tough?
Tough leaves usually come from underwatering, excessive heat, or letting the leaves get too old before harvesting. Consistent moisture and timely harvest of medium-sized leaves ensures the best texture.

Getting your collard planting schedule right in South Carolina sets you up for a long and productive harvest. By focusing on the cool seasons of spring and fall, you’ll enjoy this Southern classic at its very best.