Champion Collards
Champion Collards is a hybrid brassica variety (Brassica oleracea var. viridis 'Champion'). Harvest begins around day 60-75; seed germinates in 7-14 days. Set plants 18-24 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.5, zones 6-9, full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours). Plants reach 10-24 inches. It will crop in a container. Hybrid seed does not come true, so it has to be bought fresh each season rather than saved.
Sowing
Direct sow 4-6 weeks before last spring frost or 10-12 weeks before first fall frost. Can also start indoors and transplant.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- 1 inch per week, drought tolerant
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil, tolerates poor soils
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.5
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches
- Height
- 10-24 inches
- Season
- Cool season, heat tolerant
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Blue-green with thick, smooth leaves
- Size
- 12-18 inch leaves
- Shape
- Large, broad, oval leaves with thick stems
- Flavour
- Mild, sweet flavor, less bitter than many brassicas
In the kitchen
Braising, steaming, sautéing, soups, traditional Southern dishes, wraps
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, harlequin bugs
- Diseases
- Black rot, clubroot, downy mildew
- Resistance
- Good heat and cold tolerance, slow to bolt
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | August – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | July – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | July – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | May – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | April – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 32
- Protein (g)
- 3.02
- Fat (g)
- 0.61
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 5.42
- Fibre (g)
- 4
- Sugars (g)
- 0.46
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 251
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 35.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 2.26
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 437
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.165
- Folate (µg)
- 129
- Calcium (mg)
- 232
- Iron (mg)
- 0.47
- Magnesium (mg)
- 27
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 25
- Potassium (mg)
- 213
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.21
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.3
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Champion Collards?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Champion Collards suits these too.
- Winterbor Kale 60 days
- Collard Greens 'Georgia Southern' 60 days
- Peppermint 60 days
- Kale 'Winterbor F1' 60 days
- Purple Vienna Kohlrabi 60 days
- Red Trumpet 60 days