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Collards/Kale
Frank J. Dainello,
Extension Horticulturist
Department of Horticultural Sciences,
Texas A&M University |
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VARIETIES
| Collards |
Vates, Flash, Champion, Top Bunch |
| Kale |
Dwarf Scotch, Vates, Improved Dwarf Siberrian, Blue Armor, Blue
Arrow Blue Knight |
|
SOIL PREFERENCE
Deep, well-drained, fertile, fine to medium textured soils with pH 6.0
- 7.5; will tolerate heavy soils with good drainage. |
OPTIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS
Monthly average temperature 60 - 65oF, won't tolerate monthly
mean temperatures much above 70oF. |
ESTABLISHMENT METHODS
| Optimum time= |
| Spring- |
seed zone temperature >50oF; |
| Fall- |
seed zone temperature < 100oF. |
| Seeding rate lbs/A= |
0.5 - 1.5 |
| Approx seed/oz= |
9,000 |
| Seeding depth= |
0.25." |
| Seedling spacing= |
1 - 2" in-row on 38 - 40" raised beds |
|
FERTILITY/FERTILIZATION
Rates presented as actual lbs/Acre N2, P2 O5 and K2O (base actual rates
on soil test results).
| Generalized rate lbs/A: |
80 - 90 - 90 |
| N- |
60 - 100; 1/2 applied preplant with the remainder at thinning. |
| P- |
80 - 100; banded 2" below seed at planting. |
| K- |
80 - 100; applied with first nitrogen application, normally only
required in East Texas. |
|
WATER/IRRIGATION
12 - 14" uniformly available throughout growing season. |
PEST MANAGEMENT
| Major Diseases |
Control |
| Black rot |
Treated seed, resistant varieties |
| Alternaria |
Quadris |
| Downy mildew |
Aliette, maneb (Kale only) |
| Nematode |
K-Pam, Telone II, Telone C-17 |
|
| Major Insects |
Control |
| Cabbage looper |
Asana (Collards only), B.t.'s, Fury/Mustang, Intrepid, Proclaim,
Spintor |
| Aphid |
Assail (Kale only), Admire, diazinon, dimethoate, Fulfill, Provado |
| Flea beetle |
Asana (Collards only), endosulfan, Lannate (fresh market collards
only), Sevin |
| Whitefly |
Assail, Admire, endosulfan, Provado |
|
| Weeds |
Control |
| Preplant incorporated |
Prefar, Treflan |
| Preemergence |
Dacthal, Prefar |
| Postemergence |
Poast, Select, Stinger |
|
| * NOTE--The above is
a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may haave
been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels
for specifics and use accordingly. Failure to do so may result in crop
injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the
environment may also be adversely affected by misuse. |
HARVEST
Hand or machine
| Days after planting= |
| Collards- |
70 - 80 |
| Kale- |
60 - 90. |
| Containers= |
| Fresh market- |
baskets |
| Processing- |
bulk wagon. |
| Grades= |
U.S. No. 1- similar type, free from defects. |
| Packaging/Handling= |
bu baskets, crates, cartons containing 24, 1 lb packs/bunches;
cartons/wire-bound crates containing 30 - 35 lbs. |
| Anticipated yield/A= |
5 - 6 tons; 300 - 400 crtns. |
|
TRANSIT/STORAGE CONDITIONS
32oF at 95% RH (generally top iced in transit); shelf-life,
10 - 14 days (packed in poly lined cartons with crushed ice, 3 weeks). |
COMMENTS/PRODUCTION KEYS
- Collards and kale are both more cold and heat tolerant than other
cole crops. Kale is the more tolerant of the two.
- Rapid cooling after harvest is a must for the prevention of wilting
and maintenance of quality.
- Collards are considered mature when a large rosette of leaves has
developed in the crown of the plant.
- When harvesting collards for fresh sales, the whole plant is normally
cut with 4 wrapper leaves to protect the tender leaves.
- Kale normally is packed in three ways; 1-whole plant, 2-bunched
leaves, and 3-stripped. Stripped kale is usually prepacked for fresh
market sales. With all methods, remove all yellow or damaged leaves.
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Texas Cooperative
Extension, Horticulture Crop Guides Series
Revised November, 2003
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/vegetable/cropguides/collardskale.html
Prepared for Web delivery by Brooke Bludau, Amanda Zan, and Dan Lineberger |