Can You Plant Collard Greens Next to Cabbage?

Season

• Collard greens and cabbage both grow best in cool, moist weather. The vegetables produce flower stalks and turn bitter in hot weather. These vegetables also demonstrate hardiness to frost and survive in pre-frost plantings. Sew seeds or plant transplants when night time temperatures reach 55 to 60 degrees F. Continue plantings until mid-spring for early summer harvests.

Sites and Restrictions

• Give cabbage and collard greens sites with full to partial sun, good air movement and quick drainage. Both crops rot and fail in standing water or still air. Give both plots plenty of space for sun and air circulation, as collards and cabbage tend to disease in crowded plantings.

Soil Amendments

• Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that collards and cabbage grow in a range of soil types, but recommends rich, heavy soil for best harvests. Dig 3 to 4 inches of organic compost into the top 6 inches of soil in both plots. Apply granular 5-10-10 fertilizer for best rooting and growth.

Planting and Maintenance

• Plant cabbage seeds at 9 to 12 inches in the row, with 12 inches between rows. Leave 24 inches between seeds for larger cultivars or heads. Plant collards at 10 to 15 inches in the row, with 3 feet between rows. Leave up to 18 inches between collard plants to allow more growth for later harvests. Water both crops in the morning to allow drying before nightfall. Give leafy vegetables like collards and cabbage 5 to 6 inches of water a week to encourage deep root growth. Both crops fail in dry soil.