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Have any of you tried to direct seed collards in the garden? How do you do it?
I tried starting some in seed starting pots and it didn't work. They got leggy and died.
I always end up buying plants but I sure would like to grow my own from seed.
It's August 1st so I think I still have enough time of play with seeds until I have to buy plants.
We start nearly everything in pots.
Make sure your using good starting media and a liquid fertilizer.
Start them in slightly shaded spot. Like on a table in front of a south facing window. You want it to get just a few hours of sun a day.
Collards as well as other brassicas can come up in as little as over night if the temps are warm. So watch them very well and move them to more light as soon as they start to sprout.
Move them to full sun over a few days.
Start them 3' from the window.
Then when they come up move them 1 foot from the window.
Then 2 days later right next to the window.
Then 2 days late a shady spot outside
By a week you should have moved them to full sun and they will be getting the first true leaves.
Keep them in 8+ hours of sun and feed them well until transplant.
Interesting you should bring this up. This week I planted collards for the first time, so I hope they come up direct seeding. My concern is that it might not germinate in the heat. That has been the case with some related things I have planted, but let's see how it works.