When to plant collards in USDA Zone 6b

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.

Boone NC, northern VA, central KY, southern IN. Average last spring frost April 24, first fall frost October 8 — a 167-day frost-free season.

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

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
March 13 – March 27
Direct-seed or transplant outdoors
March 20 – April 10
Expected first harvest
May 26 – June 23
Fall planting window
July 9 – July 30
Fall harvest window
September 14 – October 12

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 6b

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 6b

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.