Top Bunch

SKU: CO351
At maturity the leaves can measure over 60cm (24") from stem to tip, and they are held pointing upward, away from the soil. The petioles are long and substantial for easy bunching, and the plants are highly uniform in size and shape. Read More

Exposure Full-sun

Matures in 50 days

Season Cool season

Seed type F1 ?

Top Bunch has a rating of 4.8 stars based on 9 reviews.
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Top Bunch Collards Seeds

Product Details

This is the earliest maturing collard we know of. Start harvesting just 50 days after direct sowing, and the tall, upright plants just keep growing. At maturity the leaves can measure over 60cm (24") from stem to tip, and they are held pointing upward, away from the soil. The petioles are long and substantial for easy bunching, and the plants are highly uniform in size and shape. The bluish green leaves of Top Bunch collards are just slightly savoyed, thick, with large cell walls. Once cooked, the flavour is rich and savory - very nice in soup or simply steamed on its own. Use succession planting from spring to the height of summer for a constant supply of thick, nutritious greens.

Matures in 50 days. (Hybrid seeds)

Quick Facts:

    • Earliest collard on the market
    • Matures in 50 days
    • Highly uniform
    • Great for bunching

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All About Top Bunch

Latin

Latin
Brassica oleracea var. acephala
Family: Brassicaceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Season: Cool season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Winter hardy to Zone 6.

Timing

Timing
Direct sowΒ in early spring to mid-summerΒ for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30Β°C (50-85Β°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Starting

Starting
Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot you where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24β€³) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36β€³) apart.

Growing

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ΒΌ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10β€²) of seed furrow.

Harvest

Harvest
Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting baby leaves. They will re-grow if you pick leaves from the bottom up, as you need them. Continue harvesting lower leaves as they matureβ€”plants will keep producing all season.Β Kale can overwinter in many areas. In fact, the leaves get sweeter after frost, though growth will slow. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.Β 

Diseases & Pests

Diseases & Pests
Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Companion Planting

Companion Planting
All Brassicas benefit from chamomile, dill, mint, rosemary, and sage. Avoid planting near eggplants, peppers, potatoes, or tomatoes, as the acidic soil these plants thrive in can cause problems for Brassicas.

More on Companion Planting.

How to Grow Collards

Step 1

Timing

Direct sowΒ in early spring to mid-summerΒ for summer to winter harvests. Or start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, and transplant out as soon as the soil warms up. Optimal soil temperature: 10-30Β°C (50-85Β°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

Step 2

Starting

Sow 3-4 seeds 5mm (¼”) deep in each spot where a plant is to grow. Thin to the strongest plant. Space 45-60cm (18-24β€³) apart in rows 75-90cm (30-36β€³) apart.

Step 3

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.

Add lime to the bed 3 weeks prior to sowing. Kale likes well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. This plant prefers plentiful, consistent moisture. Drought is tolerable, but quality and flavor of leaves can suffer. Mix ΒΌ cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil beneath each transplant, or use 1 cup beneath every 3m (10β€²) of seed furrow.

Step 4

Germination

Days to maturity: From direct sowing.

Per 100’ row: 170 seeds, per acre: 30M seeds.

Step 5

Harvest

Kale and collards can both be grown as a cut and come again crop for salad mixes by direct-seeding and cutting when plants are 5-8cm (2-3β€³) tall. They will re-grow. Or pick leaves from the bottom up on mature plants as you need them. In spring, the surviving plants start to flower, so eat the delicious flowering steps and buds.

Tips

Disease & Pests

Β Protect from cabbage moths and other insect pests with floating row cover. Prevent disease with a strict 4-year crop rotation, avoiding planting Brassicas in the same spot more than once every four years.

Companion Planting

All Brassicas benefit from chamomile, dill, mint, rosemary, and sage. Avoid planting near eggplants, peppers, potatoes, or tomatoes, as the acidic soil these plants thrive in can cause problems for Brassicas.

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