Collard trees

[rodeosweetheart]

Just wanted to share a picture of my miraculous collard plants. These are what I have named my "Lazarus" strain, which came about when we composted the bottom of a collard stalk in SC 2 years ago. I noticed that it had taken root in the garden from the compost. I transplanted it and nurtured it and it grew to be three feet tall and flowered. I saved the seeds and planted them up in Michigan this year and ended up with many hardy plants. So hardy were they that the day after Christmas (and we have had snow and freezing temps for over a month now) I transplanted these two plants and brought them into the garage, as they are still alive and kicking.

I feel like Justin Morgan right now!1463

[awakenedsoul]

rodeosweetheart,
Those are beautiful. A lot of my vegetables froze the other night. It's gotten really cold at night, even in California.

[rodeosweetheart]

Awakened, I put hay or straw over EVERYTHING--do you do that? It really helps a lot! And thank you for looking at my collards, I am just so excited that they are doing so well.

[awakenedsoul]

rodeosweetheart, I usually do that with my squash in the summer. It saves water. I lettuce and greens mulched with leaves, but I should add some straw. I ordered six bales of it for the front yard during our last storm. I spread it out to act as a sponge for the rain.

[SteveinMN]

Those collards look terrific! I really should find a way to grow them. I love greens of all stripes and especially collards and kale. Unfortunately, collards are on the Dirty Dozen list, and they're expensive here when purchased organic. Okay, I know how I can grow them. I just have to go ahead and do it. :D

[wren]

Beautiful plants!
I've never grown or eaten collards... do you cook them like kale?

[rodeosweetheart]

Beautiful plants!
I've never grown or eaten collards... do you cook them like kale?

Awakened--such a great point about the sponge effect of the water retention with the straw! My favorite gardening books are by Ruth Stout--if you have not read them, you would love them. She is where I learned to use hay and straw in all my garden beds.

Steve, they look terrific for December in Michigan. In August they were gorgeous--each one 3 feet in diameter, very bushy. I clipped off the winter-killed leaves but the centers are still holding steady, through Christmas, outdoors, with nothing but straw around the roots--no plastic or hoops.

Wren, it's funny, we were just talking about kale and decided it was the Northern version of collards. I steam them and eat them with butter, salt and pepper, and rice. My husband stir fries them with olive oil and salt and pepper. Traditionally, my family in the South would cook them more like soul food, with ham fat or bacon and stirred in a pot and cooked a long time. But I imagine you could probably substitute them for kale. My mom would also steam them and serve them with vinegar. She ate them with brown rice. They are traditional with black eyed peas. The evolution of the collard green was that it was planted between the cotton rows to attract the boll weevils off of the cotton. I did notice that mine got riddled with enormous holes this summer from the grasshoppers--we don't spray anything and we don't have chickens yet to eat the grasshoppers, unfortunately.

I didn't really like them until we started getting them fresh in South Carolina. They are a lot better fresh. In the can--ugh.

[awakenedsoul]

rodeosweetheart,
Oh I love Ruth Stout. I read her book How To Garden Without Breaking Your Back. She's fabulous. I garden her way...lots of messy mulch.

[SteveinMN]

Steve, they look terrific for December in Michigan. In August they were gorgeous--each one 3 feet in diameter, very bushy. I clipped off the winter-killed leaves but the centers are still holding steady, through Christmas, outdoors, with nothing but straw around the roots--no plastic or hoops.
Well, if they can make it into a Michigan winter they can do okay here. :-) 'Tis the time of year to think of gardens; I should think about how I might want to do this.

[rodeosweetheart]

Well, if they can make it into a Michigan winter they can do okay here. :-) 'Tis the time of year to think of gardens; I should think about how I might want to do this.

If you want some collard seeds, just pm me and I will send you some.

[rodeosweetheart]

Here were the collards in late fall:

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Here are the blue hubbards we grew this year:

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[SteveinMN]

Wow, RS! Time to make some room in the garden...