I wait until the first frosts come in October to start blanching and freezing my collard greens, because those are the best collards of the year. In my garden, I keep my collards covered with row cover in early winter to protect them from hungry deer, and then give up the fight when the snow starts flying and my freezer is full. The traditional preparation is to slow-cook chopped collard greens with bacon or ham, but in truth collard greens are a dream veggie for healthy plant-based diets. As a garden cook with basket after basket of collard greens to serve or put by, your first decision is whether to use the leaves whole or chopped.
I set aside perfect, medium-size leaves to blanch and freeze whole because they make such excellent wrappers. Sturdier than kale leaves but more flexible than cabbage leaves, whole collard leaves that have been blanched in boiling water for two minutes are so versatile that you can always find a use for them.
And please note: when blanched and cooled, collard leaves can be rolled up like loose cigars and frozen for long-term storage. In addition to using them as wrappers, the thawed collard rolls can be cut into thin ribbons the same width as long pasta such as fettucini or linguini. Add the collard strips to the pasta pot during the last three minutes of cooking as the start of delicious pasta with greens dishes. Plants affected by these bacteria turn soft and mushy, and you may see a slimy substance oozing from plant parts.
You may also detect a foul scent emitting from affected plants, which must be uprooted and discarded. Typically this is at around 40 days, but it can be as early as 28, or even younger as we mentioned above regarding thinning.
You can harvest the entire plant, or you can simply cut off outer leaves as needed, allowing the plant to continue growing. Do not wash the greens before putting them in the bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible as you seal it. You can also freeze your greens. In this case, you do want to wash them very thoroughly before storing.
After washing, remove the tough center stem. To do this, experts recommend folding the leaf in half lengthwise, inward along the stem, grasping the leaf in one hand and and the stem in the other, and ripping up on the stem to tear it away. Boil the greens in water for minutes; do not add seasoning to the pot. Immediately plunge the greens into ice water.
Drain the greens thoroughly, blot them dry with paper towels, and then package them in a plastic storage container or zipper bag, removing as much air as possible. Collards are a cornerstone of traditional American soul food, and every Southern cook has his or her own secret recipe. The traditional method of cooking these greens involves starting by boiling down ham hocks with salt until the meat is falling off the bone.
The greens are added to the pot and cooked for 45 minutes or more, depending on how tender the leaves are, and then drained, chopped, and salted. A tip favored by many Southern cooks is to save the cooking water, which is packed with nutrition and flavor, to use the base for a sauce or soup. You might also like to try the recipe for creamed collard greens, from our sister site, Foodal. These flavorful greens are a tasty spin on creamed spinach. Ready to add this nutritious leafy green to your vegetable patch?
If you are, be sure to give them fertile soil and a decent amount of water. Harvest as needed — maybe cook up at least one mess of greens in the traditional style, and then branch out into other preparations. Have you grown collards? Are they a part of your cultural heritage? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Ask the Experts, LLC.
See our TOS for more details. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. Additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu. To Gretchen, nothing is more rewarding than a quick dash to the garden to pluck herbs to season the evening meal. African Americans absolutely are due credit for the widespread popularity of collard greens in Southern cuisine!
The exact origin of collards is unknown, and as far as botanical experts can … Read more ». Excellent article. Much appreciated! Generations of Southern, African American culture. Thanks so much for getting in touch, Jacqueline! Wishing you all the best with your new garden. Please reach out if you ever have any questions! Brassica oleracea var. How to Grow Collards prefer full sun, but will tolerate a few hours of light shade, and they have a few soil requirements: Deep Well-drained Rich in organic material Fertile Weed-free As discussed above, collards are perhaps surprisingly one of the most cold-tolerant vegetables, able to withstand temperatures ranging down to the upper teens.
In fact, many aficionados swear collards taste better and sweeter after a frost or two. Growing Tips Make sure soil is rich in organic material. Collards do equally well in humid and dry conditions, provided the soil is kept moist. Side dress with composted manure or a slow-release fertilizer every four to six weeks to keep the plants growing through repeated harvests.
Collards are often grouped by two growing characteristics: those that are loose-leaf and those that form a loose head. Traditional varieties, such as 'Vates' and 'Georgia', form loose, open plants.
Some of the newer hybrids, such as 'Morris Heading', grow quickly and curve in on themselves, forming a loose head and a more compact plant. Loose heading varieties are good choices if you want to harvest the whole plant at once. If you want a steady supply of leaves, opt for a loose-leaf variety.
You can harvest leaves as needed or cut the entire plant. If you cut the entire plant while it is still young, the crown should resprout for at least one additional harvest. Harvest leaves while they are smooth and firm; young, tender leaves will be the least bitter. You can store them in damp paper towels for about three to four days, but the longer they are stored, the more bitter they become.
It's better to harvest as needed. Collard greens are very versatile. There's good reasoning behind the phrase "mess o' greens. Some favorite collard green recipes include:.
Collards are biennial, so plants will need to be overwintered if you plan to save seed since they will not flower until the second year. After the plants flower, allow the seed pods to dry out until they are very hard and brittle, then collect the pods between paper towels and apply pressure to break the pods and collect the seeds.
Collards are affected by the same diseases and pests as other members of the cabbage family, although their tough leaves offer some protection. Be on the lookout for aphids, cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, cabbage root maggots, flea beetles, and even slugs.
The moth is white and commonly is seen during the day hovering over plants in the garden. Cabbage loopers "measuring worms" are smooth, light green caterpillars. The cabbage looper crawls by doubling up to form a loop and then moving the front of its body forward.
The moth is brown and is most active at night. Diamondback worms are small, pale, green caterpillars that are pointed on both ends. The moth is gray, with diamond-shaped markings when the wings are closed.
The damage caused by diamondback larvae looks like shot holes in the leaf. The larval or worm stages of these insects cause damage by eating holes in the leaves and cabbage head. The adult moths or butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves but otherwise do not damage the plants. The worms are not easy to see because they are fairly small and blend with the cabbage leaves. Cabbage worms are quite destructive and can ruin the crop if not controlled. They are even worse in fall plantings than in spring gardens because the population has had several months to increase.
About the time of the first frost in the fall, moth and caterpillar numbers finally begin to decline drastically. For more information on cabbage worms, see our feature in the Bug Review. Collards, also known as collard greens, are a member of the cabbage family. Collard greens have always enjoyed grand popularity in the southern states and lately it's popularity has grown throughout the nation.
Collards grow from a main stalk with leaves that grow outward on inedible stems. The smooth, green firm leaves should be picked from the bottom of the stalk, as the stalk will continue to produce greens well into late fall. Pick clusters of lower leaves before they are full-sized, tough and woody. Collards store better than most greens. Wrap unwashed leaves in moist paper towels and place in sealed plastic bag. They will stay fresh for days in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
When ready to use wash thoroughly. Greens tend to have dirt and grit clinging to the leaves. Swish through several changes of cold water. Collards are fibrous, tough, mild-flavored greens that require long cooking. Hiding under the green chlorophyll pigment is an excellent source of beta carotene and some vitamin C and calcium. The darker the leaf the more beta carotene provided.
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