Know your collards · Lesson 6 of 7
You grew something you can eat. Take a minute with that, Cousin. Now let’s pick it in a way that gives the plant a chance to keep producing.
Find the center before you cut
Look for the small new leaves in the middle or at the top of the plant. That is where the next growth is coming from. For repeated leaf harvests, leave that growing point alone and start with usable outer leaves.
Take a small first harvest
- Choose healthy outer leaves that are large enough for how you plan to cook them.
- Use clean scissors or a knife to cut the leaf stem without cutting into the main stalk. Support the plant rather than yanking.
- Leave plenty of healthy leaves and all the young center growth. Leave enough healthy leaves to feed the plant as it grows.
- Watch for fresh growth before taking another large picking.
If the plant is small, stressed, or hardly growing, give it more time. One plant may provide a handful before it provides enough for a pot. That is useful information when you plan how many plants to grow next season.
Bring the harvest into the kitchen
Wash your hands and use a clean bowl or basket. Rinse leaves well under cool running water before preparing them, paying attention to folded areas and the undersides. Do not wash produce with soap. Discard decayed leaves. If you used a garden treatment, follow its required waiting period before harvesting.
Try a small batch cooked the way you like your greens. Note whether you prefer younger leaves, bigger leaves with the thick stem removed, or a different variety next time. Your own meal is a better test than somebody else’s favorite.
Leave enough for the next meal
Take a picture after you pick, and give the plant time to put on new growth. If your harvest filled a skillet but you wanted a family-size pot, keep that in mind for next season. You may need more plants—not a harder harvest from the one you have.
Ready to choose seeds? Browse Plant & Heal collard varieties → Choose seeds that fit your space and planting season. One good start is enough.
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More help for this step: Maryland Extension: leaf harvesting · UF/IFAS collard guide
Sources for this lesson
- Maryland Extension: collard growing, spacing, and harvest
- UF/IFAS: vegetable planting and collard seed depth
- NC State Extension: pot size, growing mix, and water
- FDA: washing garden produce before preparing it
The pot plan is a practical beginner setup. Your weather and named variety may call for changes.
— Erica Plants
Food Security Starts With a Seed.
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