Last time, we chatted about how to sow and grow collards. The next step is how to harvest and store collards.
Harvesting Tips:
Collards will typically mature in 55 days or less.
The best time to harvest is in the morning or evening when it is cooler or when the sun is not intense.
You have two main choices: harvest the whole collard plant or the leaves as needed. I prefer to harvest as needed.
Storing Tips:
When I bring in collard leaves, I soak them in cool/cold water.
Next I spin them in a salad/lettuce spinner.
Store fresh collards in an airtight container. Less air the better. They should last a week or two.
If you want to cook with the collards at a later date, I would cut off the stem and blanch the greens for three minutes, dry the leaves and freeze it in an airtight container. Blanching means to put the collard leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes and then ice water for another 3 minutes.
You can also shave the remaining stem so it is not so thick and use the fresh or blanched collard greens for a wrap. Also, you can use the blanched and frozen collards in soups and pastas.
