Collard greens are a single of the most flexible greens in your backyard. They’ll prosper in virtually any soil, can tolerate sizzling temperature, and generate speedily. They are also a lovely addition to your yard with their massive, shiny leaves and tall stalks. Thankfully, they’re not one of the more invasive companion crops out there.
In fact, their all-natural inclination is to stay in the same standard region as other collards, so they do not unfold as well considerably. There are many different ways you can use collard greens in your backyard. They make wonderful companions for other greens like kale and mustard greens, which expand at comparable heights and supply some overlap for ideal daylight publicity. Let’s talk about some terrific companion crops for your collard green yard.
What Are Companion Crops?
Companion planting is the practice of planting various sorts of crops jointly in the identical developing region for useful outcomes. So, a companion plant is any species that has a advantageous effect on yet another plant by growing its progress, strengthening its overall health, or growing its produce. It’s a extensively utilised technique that can be used in the two business and residence gardens.
This approach to planting is employed to just take gain of the rewards that can be derived from vegetation developing in affiliation with each other. A gardener can pick certain plants that offer rewards these kinds of as strengthening soil well being, attracting helpful bugs, or repelling pests.
The 6 Fantastic Companion Vegetation for Collard Greens
one. Beans
Collard greens and beans are a stunning pair. Beans are a weighty feeder, so they’ll loosen the soil about your collards and give them additional nutrition. Collards, on the other hand, will aid keep the soil moist and control the soil pH for ideal bean development.
If you choose to use pole beans, you’ll have the additional advantage of a gorgeous vine climbing up the collard stalks and producing even a lot more of a visible affect in your yard. Even though bush beans are a lot more frequent, and will thrive as companions to your collards, pole beans are the perfect way to just take edge of the peak that collards provide.
2. Okra
Okra and collards are yet another wonderful pair. Equally to beans, okra loves to enrich the soil. It’ll aid your collards thrive, and you can use the leaves in your cooking. Okra is a weighty feeder, as properly, so it’ll give your collards an additional boost and some gorgeous flowers. If you have place in your backyard garden, okra and collards are a match created in heaven.
3. Eggplant
Eggplants and collards will also perform wonderful jointly. Collards are 1 of the few vegetation that can actually aid repel pests and ailments like the flea beetle that can plague eggplant. Collard’s all-natural sulfur content, notably if the leaves are wilted, generates a excellent way to by natural means preserve pests away from your eggplants.
Eggplants, on the other hand, will enrich the soils in your yard and assist your collard crops thrive. These veggies are heavy feeders, so they’ll give your collards a healthy boost. If you’re planting ample collards to feed your total house (or offering them regionally), eggplants are a great way to supplement your meals with some wholesome vitamins.
four. Radish
Radishes and collards are yet another best match for your backyard. Radishes are a fast-increasing vegetable that can be harvested in as small as two weeks. They adore entire sun and well-drained soil, which collards love also. Radishes will assist your collards prosper and you can even expand them in pots or in a modest bed in the backyard to preserve space. Radishes will aid enrich the soil for your collards. They’re also a fantastic companion for other swift-increasing veggies, this sort of as lettuce and spinach.
5. Rhubarb
Rhubarb and collards are a basic pair. Rhubarb is a gorgeous ornamental plant that also happens to be edible. It’ll prosper alongside your collards and add gorgeous shade to your backyard while it grows. Rhubarb is a heavy feeder that will enrich the soil for your collards. You can also use the leaves in your cooking if they’re youthful adequate.
6. Corn
Corn grows wonderfully together with collard greens. Collard greens can support hold pests and illnesses away from your corn stalks, specifically if you are growing sweet corn. However, be aware that sweet corn is specifically susceptible to different pests and ailments. Collards will also enrich the soil for your corn. If you have room in your yard to increase each collard greens and corn, you’ll have lots of clean corn on the cob all through the summer season. Just be watchful not to overwater, simply because corn can also be inclined to root rot if planted too near to your collards.
The Worst Companion Crops for Collard Greens
There’s a whole lot of discussion surrounding companion plants, but most home gardeners will inform you that there are a fantastic numerous crops that just are not pleasant to collard greens vegetation. One particular of the worst is tomatoes. The acidity in tomatoes can burn the leaves and even result in the plant to die again. Other crops include cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli, which eat similar nutrients as collard greens and might consider the vitamins absent.
Pests to Observe Out for When Expanding Collard Greens
A key difficulty with collard greens is slugs. The slugs can damage collards by eating the leaves and roots. This can lead to the plant to die again. You can help avert slugs by retaining your backyard garden clean and properly-watered.
Collard greens are susceptible to aphids, which are tiny bugs that feed on the plant’s sap and foliage. If you discover spots on the leaves, get rid of them right away so they do not spread to other components of the plant. You ought to also preserve other crops absent from collards, such as strawberries, tomatoes, and roses, due to the fact they can entice pests like aphids.
5 Tips for Developing a Backyard garden of Collard Greens
Collard greens are one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated leafy greens. Even although they aren’t as popular as kale or spinach, collard greens can be a scrumptious addition to any home backyard garden.
They’re easy to expand, prosper in the heat, and are wonderful for individuals that want to include more nutrition to their diet regime. Whether you like your greens mild or spicy, there is an alternative for every person. As with increasing any vegetable, you need to know the essentials prior to diving in and developing your own generate. Below are some fundamentals prior to you get started out with increasing collard greens.
one. Expand Collard Greens in A Well-Rotated Garden
Usually rotate your backyard garden. Keep in mind that collard greens are relevant to broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce. If you have a effectively-developed garden that makes use of the “southern” technique of growing, collards should be planted in the same spot in which relevant plants (this sort of as cabbages) have been planted the yr before.
This will aid avert soil-borne ailments that can harm collard greens. If you really don't use a nicely-rotated backyard, you can nonetheless develop collards, you just want to be additional careful with protecting against illnesses that can lead to problems with increasing collards.
2. Get ready Your Soil Prior to Planting
Ahead of you plant your collard greens, it’s important to make certain your soil is all set to go. Like with any other vegetable, you want to make certain your soil is healthful and enriched with lots of compost to hold it in great condition. After your soil is enriched, you can commence planting your collard greens.
3. Area
Like with most vegetables, you want to make certain you leave enough space among every plant. Collard greens require about eighteen to 24 inches amongst each plant.
4. Sowing
If you are planting collard greens from seeds, you should commence sowing about two to 3 months prior to the very last frost in your area. Make certain to hold your soil temperature warm enough for the seeds to germinate efficiently. You can do this by covering your soil with a gentle backyard blanket or masking it with a row protect.
5. Choose When to Plant New Collard Greens
As described previously, collard greens favor cooler temperature. This is why they are frequently planted in the tumble. You can plant collards in the spring as properly, due to the fact they are also hardy in hot climate. Make positive to examine the soil temperature in your area just before planting your collard greens.
If you’re planting collard greens in the spring, they will want someplace amongst 90 and a hundred and twenty times to mature. This implies that you need to be planting your collard greens someplace among mid-April and mid-May possibly depending on your weather and any weather designs.
But if you are planting collard greens in the slide, they’ll require about a hundred and fifty to 180 days to experienced. This indicates that you ought to be planting your collard greens someplace amongst mid-August and mid-September depending on your local weather and any weather patterns.
Conclusion
Collard greens are an incredibly hardy vegetable, and they can stand up to very chilly and very hot weather, so they can be a dependable source of food when other vegetation fall short. These leafy greens are a wonderful low-upkeep addition to your backyard garden that you can harvest throughout the calendar year.
They make great companions for several other plants in your garden, as properly. Regardless of whether you’re planting them for food, or you are utilizing them to market at neighborhood create marketplaces, collard greens are a excellent selection.
Highlighted Picture Credit score: Sompol, Shutterstock
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