When to plant collards in USDA Zone 6a

Plan your collards planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Western NC mountains, southern PA, central OH, northern MO. Average last spring frost May 1, first fall frost October 1 — a 153-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Collards is well suited to Zone 6a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
March 20 – April 3
Direct-seed or transplant outdoors
March 27 – April 17
Expected first harvest
June 2 – June 30
Fall planting window
July 2 – July 23
Fall harvest window
September 7 – October 5

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
18″
Row spacing
24″
Seed depth
0.5″
Soil temperature
55–75°F
Frost tolerance
hardy
Days to harvest
60 days

Grower notes for Zone 6a

Southern staple. Flavor sweetens after two hard frosts — fall crop always beats spring for quality.

Plant near: onions, beets, carrots

Keep away from: tomatoes

Other brassicas for Zone 6a

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.