Collards planting calendar for USDA Zone 9a

Gainesville FL, Houston, New Orleans, southern GA coast. Average last spring frost February 25, first fall frost December 1 — a 279-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good

Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9a heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors

January 14 – January 28

Direct-seed or transplant outdoors

January 21 – February 11

Expected first harvest

March 29 – April 26

Fall planting window

September 1 – September 22

Fall harvest window

November 7 – December 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 9a

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 9a

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.

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