Are you growing collard greens in Minnesota, but don’t know when the best time to harvest them is?

Harvesting collard greens is not as easy as it seems.

Here’s why:

• Collard Greens have a very short window when they can be harvested and still taste great.

So if you harvest them too early they may not be ready and taste bad. And if you harvest them too late they may become infected with mold, fungus, insects, etc., and become inedible.

Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to harvest collard greens in Minnesota:

• To Learn More About HOW to Grow Collard Greens, Check Out This GUIDE!

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When Do I Harvest Collard Greens in Minnesota?

As you may have already guessed, there are two main factors that determine when you should harvest your collard greens: the physical features of the collard greens & weather (time).

Harvest Collard Greens if They Look Like This!!!

The physical features of collard greens are what most gardeners commonly rely on to determine if they are ready to be picked off the plant or not.

In general, you should harvest collard greens if they have the following physical features:

• The entire collard greens is a solid red color. If the collard greens is a lighter shade of red, it is not ready to be harvested
• The collard greens is slightly soft. Too hard means it is not ready. Too soft means it is overripe (but still edible)
• Easily able to be deattached from the the plant. This means it has absorbed all the nutrients it needs and is ready.

Harvest Your Collard Greens During THIS Time of Year!!!

In general, you should harvest collard greens:

• 65 to 85 days after starting collard greens from seed
• 40 to 50 days after planting collard greens in your garden
• 20 to 30 days after collard greens first appear

And no matter what, you should ALWAYS harvest your collard greens before the first frost of the year. Frost will immediately kill your collard greens plant and make your collard greens inedible.

For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in Minnesota. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.

Minnesota Last & First Frost Dates

It should be noted that you should not overly rely on the first frost of the year. The average first frost of the year is only correct 30% of the time.

Instead, pay close attention to your local weather.

When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.

• If collard greens are in pots, bring them inside
• If collard greens are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
• Pick all collard greens. If they are not ready, place them in a brown paper bag and store them for approximately 1 to 2 weeks to see if they become edible.

If you want to learn WHEN to harvest ANY Vegetable in Minnesota, head over to HERE and just type in the vegetable you want to grow.