Fall Kale and Collard Varieties that Grow in Cold Weather
Easy-to-grow cool-season crops like kale and collards bring high nutritional returns. The historic crops are hallmarks of the fall and winter kitchen, with simple picking for fresh eating as quick, young greens or cooking to sweeten mature leaves. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores top-performing (and tasting) kale and collard varieties that thrive in the all.
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As robust heritage crops in the cabbage family, collards and kale have a long history of cultivation. From reliable heirlooms to high-yielding, hardy cultivars, the thick, rich greens are a hearty, nutrient-dense, fast-developing vegetable to harvest in the fall and into winter in mild climates.
Enjoy either fresh as young baby greens or wilted, sauteed, steamed, or cooked into stews and baked dishes. Smaller leaves have a milder, sweeter flavor, while mature ones sweeten after a nip of frost as starches convert to sugars.
Kale is a quintessential fall crop and staple of cool-season cuisine. The rich, leafy greens are versatile and move easily from garden to table. Kale is textural and colorful in containers or the border. Leaves may be curly, feathery, or leathery, in deep green, purple, or red.
Collards are historically associated with the American South, but their big, frost-tolerant leaves grow well across regions. Among the most heat and cold-tolerant of the brassicas, they endure seasonal fluctuations and produce from summer through fall.
Fall kale and collard varieties are nutrition superstars with vitamins A, C, K, fiber, folate, iron, protein, and more. The easy-to-grow fall vegetables yield big rewards when it comes to nourishment in the cool-season garden.
‘Redbor’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Redbor’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 1-2’ |
‘Redbor’ is a statuesque fall kale variety that’s as ornamental as it is tasty. Upright stems hold tightly curled purple-red leaves, making it a focal point in containers and bed arrangements.
The crinkled leaves transition from dusky blue-green to burgundy and plum in cool autumn temperatures. ‘Redbor’ is mild and sweetens as the color intensifies in cold weather.
‘Redbor’ is highly cold-tolerant among the group. Sow seeds in late summer for a fall/winter display or early spring to enjoy before the summer heat sets in.
‘Dwarf Blue Curled’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 12-30” |
‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ is an attractive 1800s heirloom with exceptional cold hardiness. It also withstands some heat in the summer-to-fall transition. Ruffly, frilly leaves are smaller and ready to harvest quickly, as early as 21 to 55 days.
Sow seeds 10 weeks before fall’s first anticipated frost date (later for a young leaf harvest). In mild climates, a fall sowing leads to a winter harvest.
‘Georgia Southern’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. viridis ‘Georgia Southern’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2-3’ |
An 1800s heirloom, ‘Georgia Southern’ is one of the classic fall collard varieties. The large leaves are ideal for steaming or simmering slowly, or even for enjoying as a fresh wrap. Like kale, the fresh, young leaves are mellow, rich, and hearty in salads.
‘Georgia Southern’ is a cold-hardy and heat-tolerant variety that suits different growing zones. It overwinters in climates where temperatures don’t drop below 20°F (-7°C). They also grow well in containers, and sheltering them in a cool space like a garage or basement protects them over the winter. Bring them out in spring after the last frost passes.
‘Georgia Southern’ has slightly crinkled, cabbage leaves in blue-green with open, loose heads. They fully mature in 50 to 80 days and are sweetest and most tender after frost. ‘Georgia Southern’ grows in sandy and poor soils where other cabbages may not.
‘Dinosaur’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. acephala ‘Lacinato’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2-3’ |
‘Dinosaur,’ also known as black Tuscan kale or ‘Lacinato,’ is a favorite Italian heirloom with handsome, heavily crinkled leaves in deep blue-green. The broad, leathery, oversized leaves stand tall in potted arrangements, raised beds, and in the ground. Young leaves are tender as fresh greens, while mature leaves have a sweet flavor cooked in pastas, stews, and pesto.
‘Lacinato’ has a sweet flavor in pestos and cooked in pastas and stews. The deep blue, frost-resistant leaves turn nearly black in chilly weather. Pick young leaves around 21 days from sowing.
‘Red Russian’
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botanical name Brassica napus ‘Red Russian’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 18-30” |
‘Red Russian’ is an 1885 heirloom and another ornamental and culinary fall kale variety, useful in seasonal planting displays and the kitchen. Mint-green foliage contrasts with reddish-purple stems and midribs. Leaves are large and deeply cut with wavy margins like oak leaves. Grow ‘Red Russian’ as a central container specimen for a feathery splash of color.
‘Red Russian’ is ready to use at any stage, with tender baby leaves for fresh salads and mature ones for cooking in pasta, sautes, and soups. They also make a showy fall-themed garnish.
The heirloom is cold-hardy and quick to mature, with full plants in less than two months from seed and young leaves in just over 20 days.
‘Top Bunch 2.0’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. viridis ‘Top Bunch 2.0’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2-3’ |
‘Top Bunch 2.0’ collards bring smaller leaves for earlier maturing and a productive, continual yield with fast growth after harvesting. Lightly savoyed leaves in soft blue-green show texture and lighter veining.
‘Top Bunch’ is frost-tolerant but also resists bolting in warmer, southern climates. It develops fully in 70 days. With a width of 18 inches, collards enjoy about a two-foot spacing between plants.
‘Winterbor’
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botanical name Brassia oleracea ‘Winterbor’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 3’ |
Among the most cold-hardy and frost-tolerant fall kale varieties, ‘Winterbor’ is a selection for seasonal containers and the vegetable garden. In mild climates, it lasts well into winter and even spring.
‘Winterbor’ has tall, thick leaves with blue-green waves, curls, and light venation. It has a mild flavor that, like others in the kale and collard lineup, sweetens with chill.
For cool-season harvests, sow ‘Winterbor’ in late summer and early fall. Start seeds indoors and transplant or direct sow when temperatures begin to cool. Use nursery potted specimens if your fall growing season is short for an instant display and fast readiness.
‘Vates’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. viridis ‘Vates’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 32” |
‘Vates’ is an heirloom fall collard variety for easy harvests. Slow to bolt in warm weather and resistant to frost, this one suits southern growing zones and cooler climates.
‘Vates’ is a top performer with high yields of dinner-plate-sized leaves. Smooth blue leaves have creamy white veins. With a compact, non-heading habit, ‘Vates’ shows good disease resistance. It matures in about 65 days. Harvest outer leaves as inner ones continue to grow.
‘Darkibor’
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botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Darkibor’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2’ |
‘Darkibor’ kale is full of productive, billowy, heavily curled and crinkled leaves in deep and bright green shades. Like ‘Redbor’ and ‘Winterbor,’ ‘Darkibor’ is a good selection across climates for an intense flavor without bitterness.
‘Darkibor’ withstands cool and warm temperatures without being quick to bolt. Gardeners in southern climates rely on these for long-lasting production.
Mature leaves are crisp, sturdy, and meaty. Harvest micro and baby leaves from sprouts to six inches tall.
