Leafy Green
Top Bunch 2.0 Collards is an open-pollinated variety of Brassica oleracea that produces tender, harvestable leaves in just 70 days. Growing 24 to 36 inches tall, this collard reaches full productivity in a single season and adapts well to full sun through partial shade. It's a dependable green for cool-season gardens, thriving when direct-sown in early spring or fall, and rewards patient gardeners with a substantial harvest from compact spacing.
Partial Sun
Moderate
?-?
36in H x ?in W
Perennial
Moderate
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Top Bunch 2.0 reaches maturity faster than many traditional collard varieties, delivering harvestable greens in 70 days from seed. Its moderate height and tight spacing requirements (24 inches all around) make it efficient in small garden spaces without sacrificing yield. The open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seed from your best plants, building a line adapted to your own garden's microclimate over time.
As a collard green, Top Bunch 2.0 is eaten cooked, braised slowly with aromatics until tender, or incorporated into soups and stews where its sturdy leaves hold their shape through long simmering. The leaves can also be blanched and frozen for winter use, making it a practical crop for gardeners planning ahead.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date in spring, or for fall crops, 4 to 6 weeks before you want to transplant. This timing gives seedlings a strong root system and several true leaves before moving to the garden.
Transplant seedlings 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date in spring for a summer harvest, or 14 to 16 weeks before your average first fall frost date for a fall/winter crop. Space transplants 24 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart.
In mild climates or for fall harvests, sow seeds directly outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 55 degrees (ideally 75 to 85 degrees), or 14 to 16 weeks before your first fall frost. Sow in rows spaced 24 inches apart.
Top Bunch 2.0 reaches harvest readiness at 70 days from sowing. Begin harvesting individual outer leaves once they reach a usable size, or wait until the plant develops a substantial crown before cutting the entire head. In cool seasons, the leaves remain tender longer; in heat, harvest promptly to catch them before they become coarse.
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