Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Anyone try growing Collard Greens??? I have 6. 3 in AP and 3 in dirt for comparison. The ones in dirt are out doing the AP. I do not believe it is the system ( even though it's new) since I also have 4 tomatoe plants in AP and 4 in dirt which the AP tomatoes are almost twice the size as the dirt, but this is after being planted in AP for 3-4 weeks. ( time for root growth I assume). Same with the cucumbers, much better than ones planted in dirt. The system is over 3 months old, and I assume I still have a ways to go, but it baffles me that a light feeder such as a collard green would do worse than a heavy feeder.

Is this one of the plants that dose not do well in AP or what? Advice please

I've got a couple of collards in my gravel beds and some kale in a raft to compare with those in my dirt garden. My collards are growing OK but look a little pale. I added some chelated iron the other day and so far it hasn't seemed to help. The kale in the raft is not doing well at all...I'm going to replace it with some other experiment.

My system is new (less thean two months) and the pH has been at 8.0 or above since the begining. I think I'm getting some nutrient blocking do to the high pH. I'll leave the collards alone for now and see if things pick up as my system matures. I do love my collards...

BTW, despite a couple of set backs due to freezing temps, my tomato plants look great. I have even started some clones by pinching off a small branch and sticking it in the gravel... after a few days they start growing like crazy.

Mikey

what are collard greens

Bob Brown in a tie...

They are greens that grow year round on a stalk. Usually have a mild flavor and have a much better texture than spinach, IMO. Popular in the south (USA). My personal favorite.

i have never heard any one ask what collards are , buddy you are missing out !

i grew some during the winter, i sprouted them in our coldest freeze, just to see if they would sprout, they did great, i moved a few plants to the wicking bed to seed. the seed pods are almost ready to be picked. aphids got on them, thats the only problem i had with them

these collards and mustards grew about 2 feet tall, then i ate em, made a few good sized pot fulls, you gotta have a lot to make a little with collards

Collards cooked up with a bit offatback for flavor! Nothing like it.



Joe

ya gotta rub the leaves with lard before they go in the pot

might be why alot of folks in the south are lard asses

Skip the fat/lard/bacon/ham when cooking them and try adding a dark beer or two, some maple/crane syrup or even a bit of brown sugar and some ginger. Good stuff.

Boil it with bacon. Add vinegar with tabasco peppers inside.
good stuff
bob in Panama

I have planted the seeds on a few occasions, that never seemed to amount to anything. Now that I look at that pic, I may have pulled them out thinking they were weeds.
Note to self, add plant labels so that not only I, but everyone else knows they are there lol

Hi theguy67

I have read that collards are mildly sensitive to salinity. Have you salted you AP water? This may be affecting the growth of the collards and not the other plants in the system?