How To Prepare Your Tree Collards For Winter

Sequoiah @Project Tree Collard shares some of the important ways you can get your tree collard plants ready for the wet, windy, or snowy weather typical of Winter. Planning ahead of time in late summer/early fall is an important part of taking care of your tree collard plants. Sequoiah demonstrates her pruning and staking techniques for successfully getting tree collards into better shape for the wild weather ahead. Since tree collards are perennial and can live up to 20 years, pruning, staking, and caring for your plants helps them be more productive.
Tree collards (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) are members of the brassica family. They are also known as Tree Kale or Tree Cabbage. Their relatives include traditional collards, kale, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. However, unlike most of its relatives, tree collards are perennial. This means that, like a fruit tree or rose bush, they will continue to grow and produce year after year and without the need for planting new seeds or seedlings every year like traditional collards and kale. Tree collards are hardy to about 20° F (-7° c) and in mild climates have been known to live for up to twenty years! They are closely related to other perennial collard varieties grown in Mediterranean, Africa, the Americas, and other countries.
You can find Project Tree Collard at: www.projecttreecollard.org
Instagram at: / projecttreecollard
Facebook at: / projecttreecollard

[@matchpoint14]

Sequoiah, thanks for the videos on Tree Collards. I did not know there were so many ways to spell Sequoiah

[@seekwisdom5102]

Thank you! I just planted 2 baby trees in the yard and I will prune the top to encourage side branches and also stake them so they grow upright from the start.

[@projecttreecollard]

great!

[@lilomarley2]

very cool keep it up!

[@projecttreecollard]

Thanks!

[@user-px7nh7vs4b]

Thank you!. Zone 8b here, east Texas. My tree collards didn't grow a lot this summer but they are still alive. I'm going to take cuttings before frost. I did that last year and it's a good thing I did since they died during the freaky "winter storm" we had. I want to have a tree collard forest like yours but I just don't know how to do it. I am now trying part shade but next spring I will try even deeper shade. There just ate not a lot of plants that will thrive in our hot, humid weather. Wish me luck. All tips appreciated. Thank you for the video.

[@joanflemmingkendrick1107]

Subscribed. Really interesting. Much appreciated. ❤

[@ThinkPraise]

I subscribed and I really needed your help. My Jolly Tree is doing really great, it’s growing on my balcony and has a BIG dip. I will repot it and prune. I think it will be ok. I sent a picture thru IG for help, I’m ok now.

[@ZaatarGardens]

Thank you for this!

[@projecttreecollard]

sure thing!

[@mettejam6972]

Thaaaaank you! This came right on time!

[@projecttreecollard]

yay!

[@chefbless]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@Coastal.Redwood.Homestead]

I love my tree collards and thank you for sharing

[@projecttreecollard]

you're so welcome

[@Coastal.Redwood.Homestead]

@@projecttreecollard this is my first time growing them and plan on getting more and so far I’ve learned so much from you

[@projecttreecollard]

@@Coastal.Redwood.Homestead awww...so glad

[@whatdidyouthinkwouldhappen1203]

Mine easily do the looty loop thing. I appreciate the demonstration. I will better be able to trim mine, never really knew how other than to just cut off the broken branches. My chickens appreciate the trimmings so they for sure don't go to waste and the flavor when eaten in the colder months is so delicious. Thank you for your video.

[@projecttreecollard]

glad it was helpful! my chickens LIVE on tree collards;) dog loves the stems too!

[@TellingStewart]

🌱 I'm a New Subscriber 🙏🌼🍃

[@projecttreecollard]

yay! welcome:)

[@lilomarley2]

my tree collards have been killing it thanks for the cuttings :)

[@projecttreecollard]

wonderful to hear! I remember sending them to you because I like your name:)

[@wemuk5170]

I’ve just subscribed, too!

[@projecttreecollard]

yay! welcome:)

[@robertmcauslan6191]

This video quality is very good! I can see your progress in the video making.

[@projecttreecollard]

thanks so much! means a lot:)

[@kindafoggy]

I'm hopeful the baby collards starts will weather the Portland Oregon winter. They keep bouncing back!

[@projecttreecollard]

me too! Have you tried the Michigan Tree Collards?

[@kindafoggy]

@@projecttreecollard I haven't tried that one yet. I went with your Big Blue, Purple Tree, and Merritt Tree collards. I'll take a looksee at your Michigan Tree collards though. Thank you for the suggestion!

[@johnwienke3994]

Thank you for making this video. I live in Southeastern Wisconsin (zone 5a), and I have 8 young well established Michigan Tree Collards that I grew from seeds that I purchased from you in late winter/early spring. I planted one next to a t-stake that holds up a bluebird house on our property, and I just tried tying it up to it a couple weeks ago. I only lifted it a couple inches off the ground. I didn't want to put to much tension on it because it's still kind of small. I tried growing Purple Tree Collards here last year, but they didn't survive the cold winters we get. I'm hoping these Michigan Tree Collards make it through this winter. They seem to really like the weather we have here so far.

[@projecttreecollard]

keep me posted! you're a pioneer in helping grow tree collards in cold climates!

[@johnwienke3994]

@@projecttreecollard - Will do, and thank you for making these videos! They are very helpful. 🙂

[@misomossi]

Thank you! I saw your IG post a while back & though "oh ya I should probably go prune". I finally got around to watching this & I'm so glad I did. I'm going to go back & be more aggressive about it. Thank you for showing how to incrementally prune back. I also have some young ones I didn't consider pruning, but now I will. I like the rusty rebar too, I have a T-post for my Quince while it gets established, & it always draws my eye to it. My Purple tree collard is been steaked up by bamboo, do you think that's strong enough or should I switch it out?

[@projecttreecollard]

Thanks Michelle! the bamboo pole won't last long. they rot and/or fall over. Metal holds much better and longer.

[@willmckay7517]

Thanks so much. I ordered a few 3 years ago from you. They're doing great, but I need to trim them. I live in S.C. and we don't have severe winters.

[@projecttreecollard]

which area of SC? I'm really curious about how they do in the south! Time to trim!

[@mrcharrington1]

@@projecttreecollard They've done really well. I'm in central South Carolina, Zone 8a. As much as Southerns love collards, not many have heard of Tree Collards. I'm trying to educate. : ) Thanks so much.

[@projecttreecollard]

@@mrcharrington1 yay!

[@homesteadrevivals]

I'm considering trying tree collards at my coastal river PNW property in zone 8b. We get about 90 inches of rain per year, through fall, winter, and spring, and a king tide that floods our property for a few hours about 2 or 3 times per year. Our native soil is heavy clay. We've been planting fruit trees on hills, using native soil and sand and compost. We have been creating guilds on the hills, with artichokes, garlic, rhubarb, etc. I would love to try adding some tree collards to the guilds. How well do tree collards survive rainy winters? Broccoli and cabbage do very well here, but they are annuals, and I'm very intrigued by the idea of a perennial tree collard. We do dip below freezing occasionally, though not for long periods of time. We get very little rain in the summer and our days are very long.

[@projecttreecollard]

They would probably do well if you treat them as you have been treating your fruit trees

[@emjoe8892]

I really enjoy your videos. I live in zone 7b, in southeastern Oklahoma. I don't know if they would survive here but I'm going to try in the spring because they're absolutely gorgeous. Or would now be a better time to get some since it's cooling off? Is there a particular kind you would recommend?

[@projecttreecollard]

I would recommend you get some seeds now of Michigan Tree Collard (I will sell out in a few months) and sow the seed in the spring along with your other Brassicas like Brocoli, Kale, etc. Most of the seedlings should be perennial in your climate:)

[@wemuk5170]

Thank you very much. This is so informative. Is it possible (to avoid gangly tall trees & in order to create a short purple hedge) to plant new plants + stake them from the very beginning? Will they become more upright & bushier that way? Will staking & pruning be sufficient to create & train them into short, fat-bushy trees? Thank you for yr practical info + advice. 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@projecttreecollard]

it's totally doable. this video will help you understand how to keep/make them shorter and bushier: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3jIeI2qlLdgsMk

[@deborahspencer7160]

Can you grow in wooden barrels and cover up when it frost or can it withstand the frost and how do you keep the bugs off?

[@projecttreecollard]

wooden barrels are good. Most varieties are hardy to 20 degrees for a few days. Michigan is even more cold tolerant

[@busker153]

UPDATE: My Big Blue is doing great. It is about 5" tall with 4 or 5 leaves! I have Dinosaur and Jolly Green sprouts doing well, and have planted a second round of Purple the other day. I think the spot was bad soil. Being in Tucson, AZ, I am not concerned with overwintering things, but I moved here from New York State (way up near Canada) and still like to learn things that might be a necessity someday!

[@projecttreecollard]

keep it up!

[@carob-lq7uv]

@@projecttreecollard what soil do you use?

[@projecttreecollard]

@@carob-lq7uv for potting soil in containers I use Happy Frog by EB Stone. In the ground it is native soil with compost

[@melandyosgoodthings3142]

I am so excited about growing collards this winter. I am struggling with green caterpillar/ moths. Any organic recommendations for stopping these pests? Thanks

[@projecttreecollard]

I prefer to not spray anything. Most people use BT if they are going to use anything. Unfortunately it kills good caterpillers too and beneficial insects

[@paige.eats.plants1887]

I have a very young purple too, it also suffered from cabbage moth (I believe is the culprit), it seems to be easing up now that it’s getting cooler. But I went out once a day when I remembered to and picked them off, usually on the back side. You have to look super close because the tiny babies blend right in. You can also see the tiny white eggs and I brushed them off. That helped a lot. Not sure this is practical on a larger scale though. And this is assuming good eyesight, this would be much more difficult if not. I would probably try to spray them off with a hose if I couldn’t see them. I also just saw a couple posts about setting up decoy white moths with black spots. Apparently they are territorial and if a male has already set up shop they likely won’t get much more activity. I’m going to try that next year.

[@projecttreecollard]

@@paige.eats.plants1887 I do the same as you but with reading glasses on. They are VERY hard to find. Requires patience but its worth it. I'll have to look into the decoy idea...its interesting! Thanks for sharing your tips!

[@melandyosgoodthings3142]

@@paige.eats.plants1887 thanks so much for sharing this info. I have covered my two collard plants with tulle as a temporary solution. Hoping the cooler weather helps too.

[@tspaulding3845]

What do you recommend for caterpillars? They are cralzy

[@projecttreecollard]

putting on some reading glasses and picking them off by hand. I know its not a sexy answer but I don't like spraying BT which kills beneficial insects too:(

[@kayleep3329]

How do you prune tall tree collards w a lot of are stem, but growth at top? Thanks 😊

[@projecttreecollard]

I have a different video for that topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3jIeI2qlLdgsMk

[@brandonmonroe7050]

I have two of your purple tree collard plants I've grown from seed about two months old doing great in zone 8 Texas. Are they old enough to survive winter at that age from seed?

[@projecttreecollard]

they are probably ready to take on the winter but you know how unpredictable those crazy unusual storms can be

[@brandonmonroe7050]

@projecttreecollard I have an indoor set up I was thinking of maybe over wintering them indoor just for this first year but idk. They grow fast but not fast enough to outgrow my tent.

[@projecttreecollard]

you'd be a better judge of the weather in your area. I know 2 or 3 yrs ago TX had a crazy deep, long, freeze@@brandonmonroe7050

[@williamh.7939]

I started a purple tree collard from seed in January this year in Victoria, British Columbia. Supported by a rebar, it has grown straight up, now reaching 6 ft tall. My question: is it safe to perform the beheading at 9:27s of your video and grow a new plant from the cutting from the severed head? Thanks

[@projecttreecollard]

yes. I would do it today. And if for some reason the mama plant doesn't make it, you have a back up!

[@salpalvv]

When the tree collards naturally dips to the ground, have you attempted layering to propagate? When I see plants have this "attitude", I feel it is their way of naturally spreading. My figs, pruned to bush-type, send out almost vertical suckers and layer themselves naturally if I don't keep the canopy more compact. I'm curious how readily they would root from layering as opposed to babying a cutting.

[@projecttreecollard]

yes...when they bend to the ground they can easily root. You can help that process along by putting a rock on this part you want to root or pinning it down with a metal u-shaped drip irrigation pin.

[@carlabailey4797]

What did you tie them with?

[@projecttreecollard]

i used some paracord I had lying around. Any thicker rope or tying material is fine. you want something strong and a bit flexible

[@Anythingforfreedom]

How deep is your hugel mound?

[@projecttreecollard]

It is about 3 feet tall. It was probably 6-8 inches taller when first built.

[@jam_is_jammin]

My tree collards we’re doing well and I was enjoying the leaves. But the aphids took an interest. I dusted them in diatomaceous earth, but it didn’t help as much as I had hoped. How do you keep your plants from getting overrun by hungry bugs? I thought having herbs nearby might help by scent masking my greens, but no, can’t keep these beauties a secret.

[@projecttreecollard]

I only get some aphids in the spring. The birds and ladybugs come to the rescue. Its important to plant winter blooming plants for the ladybug larvae to live in. (rosemary, early lavenders, etc)

[@jam_is_jammin]

@@projecttreecollard thanks for the tip!

[@mzmindbodysoulinrepair1573]

Do you still sell the Merritt seeds? I clicked on the links and none are working.

[@projecttreecollard]

yes. www.projecttreecollard.org

[@lyndeencordial6643]

Hello, how can i purchase seed iam from phil po. Thank you

[@projecttreecollard]

www.projecttreecollard.org