Zone 11 · Leafy Greens Growing Guide

When to Plant Collard Greens
in Zone 11

The most heat-tolerant and cold-hardy of all the brassica greens. Harvest outer leaves all season. Flavour improves dramatically after frost. A Southern US staple.

Plant outdoors
Oct – Feb
Start indoors
Direct sow
Last Frost
~none
Days to harvest
60–80 days
Difficulty
Easy
Late season — Zone 11
Harvest window: Nov – Apr

Planting Calendar

In Zone 11, Collard Greens should be planted outdoors Oct – Feb, after the average last frost date of approximately none.

Cool season. More heat-tolerant than most greens so it has a longer window in Zone 11.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun to partial shade · 4–8 hrs/day
Watering
Regular
Spacing
18–24 inches
Soil
Fertile, well-draining
Days to maturity
60–80 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
plant tip · Zone 11

Cool season. More heat-tolerant than most greens so it has a longer window in Zone 11.

Feeding Schedule

How often
monthly
Feed type
high nitrogen
Key timing
throughout growing season

Heavy feeder. Nitrogen produces large, tender leaves. Feed monthly throughout the season.

Succession Planting

Sow every 4 weeks

Sow every 4 weeks from spring through midsummer. More heat-tolerant than most brassicas, making succession easier in warmer zones.

Companion Planting for Collard Greens

What you plant next to collard greens makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Beans
  • Onions
  • Beets
  • Celery
Keep away from
  • Tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Fennel

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Common questions

In Zone 11, collard greens is a fall-planted crop. Plant outdoors Oct – Feb once temperatures cool in autumn. It overwinters and is ready to harvest around Nov – Apr. No last frost consideration — plant before the ground freezes.
Zone 11 has an average last spring frost of approximately none and a first fall frost around none. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for collard greens include Beans, Onions, Beets, Celery. Avoid planting near Tomatoes, Strawberries, Fennel, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Collard Greens typically takes 60–80 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 11. Expected harvest window: Nov – Apr.

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Collard Greens in other zones
Crop Guides