Collard greens date back to the Middle Ages and are the oldest leafy green within the cabbage family. Collard greens originated near Greece, but it wasn't until the 1600s that they arrived in America. The Vates Collard variety is an heirloom developed during the Depression at the Virginia Truck Experiment Station, whose aim was to create a high-yielding, highest-quality variety. Vates is the most widely grown collard variety in Southern gardens.
 
Plant with vining beans, peas, or cucumbers, which protect them from the summer heat.  Strawberries and roots like onions, radishes, carrots, and beets are friendly companions to leafy greens. Mix lots of flowers and herbs in the bed to ward off insects and attract beneficial ones. Most herbs work well with and compliment leafy greens.
 
Starter will be in a 4" reusable nursery pot.