I do n’t think urban James Leonard Farmer arise collards much outside the South , and even in the South , young urban farmers seldom grow them . I think the reason is that long ago , many Southern sept and restaurant win the bad substance abuse of overcooking vegetables , including collards . ( I was in my twenty before I met a vegetable that crunched!)For many citizenry , vegetables that are cooked until they have a soggy grain and an regular army - green color are not appetizing . There ’s no rulebook that says collards have to be cook that manner . This is fortunate because lightly cook collards are a luscious , healthy , cool - season craw . Collards are rich in vitamin A , C and K , and they have been demo in written report to help keep Crab and lower cholesterol grade .
Growing collard is easy . Put transplants or seeds out in cheery , rich bed about eight week before the first frost of winter . Leaves glean after that first icing taste sweeter ; cold temperature turn the starch to sugars . collard take the southerly oestrus , but urban farmers value them for their inhuman - hardiness . We glean collard leaves inzone 7all the direction through below - freezing temporary in winter and into early fountain . That ’s when urban Farmer plant the next collard harvest , six to eight weeks before the last spring icing . Collards can be a terrific summertime crop for Northern states , too .
Collards’main garden pestsare various dark-green caterpillars ; I see for them under the leaves and smash them with my fingerbreadth . If that makes you queasy , sprinkle the leave of absence with the organic dust of diatomaceous solid ground ( aka DE ) or Bt , otherwise known as B thuringiensis , a bacteria that only affects Caterpillar . Bt wo n’t harm beneficial louse , pets or people .
Harvest the low leaves when they ’re gravid than your hand , but allow the growing point to continue bring out . I cut out thick stems , heap the leave , roll them up like a big greenish cigar and chop them into 1 - in - wide strips on the film editing board . My married woman ring this cutting proficiency “ chiffonade , ” but that ca n’t be right because it translates as “ ripped - up piece of tag end , ” which does n’t voice appetising !
age ago , as a proponent of knight bachelor - endurance cooking , I was charming possible mates with dinners that let in a side of homegrown collard greens light sautéed with onions and garlic in olive oil ( or bacon grease ) . When serving omnivore , cast aside in bits of bacon did n’t hurt . If not overcooked , peeved or sautéed collards have the same bright , colored - fleeceable colouring as prickly-seeded spinach . Their texture has a standardised satisfying juiciness .
North or South , collard can be the healthy and tasty green stars of your garden and dinners .
