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Vates Collards

Scientific name Brassica oleracea Viridis Group

About this variety

Vates Collards seeds produce a compact collard selected for uniform, dark leaves and dependable cool-season harvest.Vates Collards performs best when the crop is timed for cool weather, established in fertile, well-drained soil, and kept growing without drought checks. The practical work is simple but not careless: sow at the proper depth, thin on time, water the root zone,...

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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers  |  SKU: OG7
$150 USD $200
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$1.50, regularly $2.00. The sale price is already applied and carries into checkout. No code is needed. Coupon codes do not combine with this offer.

Pickup available at Bertie County Seeds

Usually ready in 2-4 days

At a glance

The facts most gardeners need first

View the full variety record
250 minimum seeds per packet
  • Germination5–10 Days days · 50–65 °F
  • SunFull sun
  • Support & spacingNo-Support · space 15 in · rows 30 in
  • Growth habitUpright/Erect · Biennial · 25–30 in tall
  • Best usesmaller gardens, compact rows, fall harvest, and repeated cutting
  • Before sowingNo special treatment; use fresh seed and correct soil temperature
Secure checkout Details
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Triple-tested seed qualityRegular quality and germination checks support every packet.

We regularly test seed quality and germination as lots move through storage and packing. We stand behind the seed we send and want customers to contact us when a packet does not perform as reasonably expected.

1-year seed warrantyCoverage begins on the date of purchase.

When properly stored, planted, and cared for, we guarantee reasonable germination and true-to-type growth for one year from the date of purchase. Conditions outside our control—including extreme weather, pests, unsuitable storage, and gardener error—are excluded. Contact us when something is not right so we can review the situation and work toward a replacement, refund, or another fair resolution.

Non-GMO / BE seed policyWe do not buy or sell genetically engineered or bioengineered seed.

Every seed variety we sell is non-GMO.

USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard defines bioengineered foods as containing detectable genetic material modified through in vitro recombinant DNA methods in ways not achievable through conventional breeding or found in nature.

  • Hybrid means parent lines were conventionally crossed; hybrid does not mean GMO.
  • Heirloom and open-pollinated describe how a variety is maintained and reproduced.
  • Organic certification is separate and is shown only when verified for the individual product.

Read how we define heirloom, hybrid, and GMO/BE seed · USDA BE Standard

Packed in Colerain, North CarolinaPrepared in our seed room for gardens across the country.

Seeds are packed and shipped from Colerain, North Carolina. Our packets use forestry-certified paper, and we use recyclable paper mailers where appropriate. AONSK is also a 1% for the Planet partner while continuing to reduce waste in packing and fulfillment.

Seed-starting profileDifficulty, preparation, reliability, and timing Open

Seed success profile

Gardener experience Beginner to Intermediate
Germination difficulty Easy to Moderate
Preparation before sowing
No special treatment; use fresh seed and correct soil temperature
Germination speed
5–10 Days
Growing complexity
Easy to Moderate
Patience and timing
About 60-75 days
Is this seed a good match for your experience?
Expected germination
5–10 Days
Germination temperature
50–65 °F
Stratification
None
Scarification
None
Pre-soaking
None
Light during germination
Cover lightly at the listed depth
Germination pattern
Reliable in the proper season
Transplant sensitivity
Transplant carefully and avoid root binding
Starting method
Cataloged as suitable for direct sowing; follow the product-specific timing and depth.
Best chance of success
Time the crop for cool weather and keep the seed zone evenly moist through emergence.
Planning window

Plan around 5–10 Daysat50–65 °F. Keep moisture, light, and preparation aligned with the sowing instructions below.

Slow germination is not automatically failed germination.

Maintain the listed temperature, moisture, light, and treatment conditions for the full expected window. Some seed lots emerge gradually rather than all at once.

1 Beginner-friendly 2 One extra step 3 Some experience helpful 4 Patient growers 5 Advanced propagation

Seed age, storage, sowing depth, moisture, temperature, light, local conditions, and aftercare can affect results. Last reviewed July 2026.

Browse AONSK seed-starting and garden guides

Garden tools

Need a plan for your space?

Open the garden-fit planner or soil calculator only when you need them.

Open garden tools Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather and garden conditions may vary.

About this variety

What to expect from Vates Collards

A compact collard selected for uniform, dark leaves and dependable cool-season harvest.

Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record

Vates Collards seeds produce a compact collard selected for uniform, dark leaves and dependable cool-season harvest.

Vates Collards performs best when the crop is timed for cool weather, established in fertile, well-drained soil, and kept growing without drought checks. The practical work is simple but not careless: sow at the proper depth, thin on time, water the root zone, inspect the undersides of leaves, and harvest before quality slips.

Smaller gardens, compact rows, fall harvest, and repeated cutting are where this variety earns its place. The expected flavor is mild, hearty, sweetens in cold, with medium broad leaves and maturity about 60-75 days. This is not a decorative catalog promise. It is a crop that responds to soil, temperature, spacing, and the discipline of regular harvest.

Vates collard strains were selected through American public and commercial breeding for practical garden performance. This seed lot is presented by its horticultural type.

Minimum Seed Count: 250 seeds

Additional variety overview

Vates Collards seeds give gardeners a compact collard selected for uniform, dark leaves and dependable cool-season harvest. The variety belongs in a cool-season plan built around steady moisture, clean airflow, and harvest before heat or stress steals quality. In our seed room, we treat the packet as the beginning of a record: lot, sowing date, soil temperature, emergence, and the field notes that tell us what the variety actually did.

Vates Collards is best suited to smaller gardens, compact rows, fall harvest, and repeated cutting. Sow with the crop, not the calendar alone. Cool-season seed can sit in dry crusted soil or rush into weak growth when a warm spell arrives. A fine seedbed, even moisture, and prompt thinning matter more than ornamental fussing.

Flavor and texture are strongest when growth is uninterrupted. Harvest at the stage the variety was bred to give, then leave representative plants only when you intend to save seed. Vates collard strains were selected through American public and commercial breeding for practical garden performance. This seed lot is presented by its horticultural type.
View all growing and care factsBotanical identity, timing, climate, soil, spacing, mature size, and crop-specific details

Plant identity

Minimum seed count 250 seeds
Seed product profile Brassica
Scientific name Brassica oleracea Viridis Group
Also known as Collard, Collard Seeds - Vates Collard
Color Green
Life cycle Biennial
Botanical family Brassicaceae
Reproductive type Open-Pollinated (OP)
Heritage qualifiers Heirloom
Native to the United States Domesticated Plant
Domestication note Mediterranean Basin

Seed success and gardener experience

Gardener experience Beginner to IntermediateLevel 2 of 5
Germination difficulty Easy to ModerateLevel 2 of 5
Preparation before sowing No special treatment; use fresh seed and correct soil temperature
Stratification None
Scarification None
Pre-soaking None
Light during germination Cover lightly at the listed depth
Germination pattern Reliable in the proper season
Growing complexity Easy to Moderate
Transplant sensitivity Transplant carefully and avoid root binding
First harvest or bloom About 60-75 days
Best chance of success Time the crop for cool weather and keep the seed zone evenly moist through emergence.

Timing and climate

Germination 5–10 Days
Germination temperature 50–65 °F
Planting season Spring/Fall
Bloom season Spring
Frost tolerance Hardy
Sunlight Full sun
Water needs Moderate

Site, soil, and space

Soil type Loamy
Preferred soil pH 6.0–6.5
Seed depth 1/4 in
Plant spacing 15 in
Row spacing 30 in
Mature height 25–30 in
Growth habit Upright/Erect
Support needed No-Support

Crop-specific details

Fruit size Medium broad leaves
Flavor profile Mild, hearty, sweetens in cold
Garden toolsOpen the garden-fit planner, planting-window questions, or soil calculator only when useful

Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather, soil, and garden conditions may vary.

Garden-fit planning for this variety

Will Vates Collards fit your garden?

Check cool-season timing, transplant plans, heat pressure, soil moisture, and harvest goal.

Questions for this cool-season vegetable seed
Seed-starting fit and patience
Recorded product profileBeginner to IntermediateEasy to ModerateRead why
Soil test, pH, drainage, and amendment calculator Have a laboratory soil report? Enter pH, nutrients, texture, bed size, and site observations here. Open soil tools
Recorded soil typeLoamy
Recorded pH range6.0–6.5
Water needsModerate
LightFull sun

Use a current laboratory soil test

Soil-test interpreter

Compare your report with this product's listed pH target: 6.0–6.5.

This tool interprets values you enter; it does not replace laboratory or Cooperative Extension amendment rates. Soil test methods and nutrient recommendations vary by region.

Full growing record

Open only the section you need

How to start Vates Collards from seedPreparation, timing, depth, germination, transplanting, spacing, and early care

Recorded germination plan

Expected germination
5–10 Days
Germination temperature
50–65 °F

Complete sowing and planting guidance

Sow 1/4 inch deep for spring and fall, winter in mild regions. Thin or transplant to 12-18 inches apart with 24-30 inches between rows. Keep soil steady moisture. Expect germination in 5-10 days around 50-80°F. Harvest about 60-75 days.
How to grow this specific varietyLight, water, fertility, support, spacing, airflow, crop behavior, and season-long care

Variety-specific growing notes

Prepare a fine, fertile, well-drained bed. Sow 1/4 inch deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist until emergence. Thin early so plants do not compete or stretch. Space plants 12-18 inches apart and rows 24-30 inches apart. Use row cover during establishment where flea beetles, cabbage worms, or root maggots are common, removing it when flowering or access is required. Mulch after plants establish, water deeply rather than misting the surface, and use a soil test before adding heavy fertility. For spring crops, plant early enough to mature before sustained heat. For fall crops, count backward from frost and allow extra days as light declines.

Complete growing guide

Prepare a fine, fertile, well-drained bed. Sow 1/4 inch deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist until emergence. Thin early so plants do not compete or stretch. Space plants 12-18 inches apart and rows 24-30 inches apart. Use row cover during establishment where flea beetles, cabbage worms, or root maggots are common, removing it when flowering or access is required. Mulch after plants establish, water deeply rather than misting the surface, and use a soil test before adding heavy fertility. For spring crops, plant early enough to mature before sustained heat. For fall crops, count backward from frost and allow extra days as light declines.

Practical field and garden tips

Keep written notes on sowing date, soil temperature, first emergence, thinning, and harvest. The useful comparison is not one plant against a catalog photograph, but this variety against another grown in the same bed and season. Harvest promptly, because cool-season crops rarely improve after they pass their intended stage.
Harvest, storage, uses, and benefitsWhen and how to harvest, ways to use the crop, storage, culinary value, habitat value, and garden roles

Harvest and use notes

Harvest at the intended stage. Use promptly, refrigerate as appropriate, and save seed only from healthy, true-to-type plants. Collards are biennial and insect-pollinated. They cross with compatible Brassica oleracea crops. Overwinter selected plants and isolate the flowering seed crop.

Uses and benefits

Smaller gardens, compact rows, fall harvest, and repeated cutting. Mild, hearty, sweetens in cold. Medium broad leaves.
Seed saving and carrying the variety forwardPollination, isolation, selection, harvest, cleaning, drying, and storage
Collards are biennial and insect-pollinated. They cross with compatible Brassica oleracea crops. Overwinter selected plants and isolate the flowering seed crop.
Problems and answersPests, diseases, troubleshooting, practical response, and product-specific questions

Variety troubleshooting summary

Q: When should I sow Vates Collards?
A: Use the cool-season window for your region, usually early spring and again for fall harvest.

Q: Can it grow in a container?
A: Yes, but use a large container with enough soil volume for steady moisture and root growth.

Q: What causes poor flavor or texture?
A: Heat, drought, crowding, delayed harvest, and interrupted growth are common causes.

Q: Can I save seed?
A: Yes, but understand the crop's pollination system, isolation needs, life cycle, and the number of plants needed to maintain the variety.

Complete pest and problem guide

Watch for flea beetles, aphids, imported cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, slugs, and root-feeding pests according to crop. Rotate crop families, remove badly diseased debris, protect seedlings early, and identify the problem before treating. Uneven moisture, crowding, heat, and excess nitrogen can imitate disease by producing poor texture, loose heads, or weak growth.

Questions gardeners ask

Q: When should I sow Vates Collards?
A: Use the cool-season window for your region, usually early spring and again for fall harvest.

Q: Can it grow in a container?
A: Yes, but use a large container with enough soil volume for steady moisture and root growth.

Q: What causes poor flavor or texture?
A: Heat, drought, crowding, delayed harvest, and interrupted growth are common causes.

Q: Can I save seed?
A: Yes, but understand the crop's pollination system, isolation needs, life cycle, and the number of plants needed to maintain the variety.
History, provenance, and cultural contextWhat is documented, what is reported, what remains uncertain, and how the variety reached gardeners

Scientific name: Brassica oleracea Viridis Group

Provenance summary

Vates collard strains were selected through American public and commercial breeding for practical garden performance. This seed lot is presented by its horticultural type.

Plant and variety history

Vates collard strains were selected through American public and commercial breeding for practical garden performance. This seed lot is presented by its horticultural type.

Source and record notes

https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-collards-and-kale
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/home-vegetable-gardening-a-quick-reference-guide

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