Kale and Collard Succession Planting Guide
How to sequence plantings 2–3 weeks apart, cut-and-come-again harvest cycles, and cold-tolerance windows for named varieties.
Kale and collards are the Southeast's most cold-tolerant leafy greens — Winterbor kale survives to 10°F, Georgia Southern collards to the low teens. Cut-and-come-again harvest means one planting can produce for 8–12 weeks, but succession planting is what holds a weekly wholesale commitment through the whole cool season.
Zone 8 succession schedule (weekly harvest Oct–Apr)
- Aug 1: plant #1 (first cut early Sep, continues through Nov).
- Aug 20: plant #2 (first cut late Sep).
- Sep 10: plant #3 (main fall bulk).
- Sep 30: plant #4 (winter carry-over).
- Feb 1 (transplanted): plant #5 (spring bulk before flea beetles arrive).
Cut-and-come-again mechanics
Take the outer 3–5 leaves per plant, leave the growing tip and inner 4 leaves. Return every 10–14 days. A 5,000-plant block gives ~10 cuts before quality drops.
Cold-tolerance quick reference
- Kale — Winterbor, Red Russian: holds to 10°F unprotected.
- Kale — Lacinato: holds to 20°F, use row cover below that.
- Collards — Georgia Southern, Champion: holds to 12°F, sweetens under 32°F.
When succession breaks
Flea beetles in Feb–Apr and cabbage looper in Sep–Oct are the two pests that end a run early. Insect netting on plantings #1 and #5 is worth the setup — those are the transition-season plantings pest pressure catches most.
Run this in BAU, not a spreadsheet
The planner, calculator, and buyer marketplace are included on every plan.