Description
This listing is for 3 Merritt (Green) Tree Collard cuttings. They are slightly shorter than our other cuttings and are not as easy to root as Purple Tree Collard cuttings. Starting a new tree collard plant can be easy but it takes a moment of daily attention to water and light until the cuttings have rooted. You will need to place them in moist potting soil and keep them from drying out for the first three to six weeks. Detailed instructions for growing your tree collards will be included with your order. You can also find our videos on Youtube at Project Tree Collard. Most of our customers have had great success with rooting their cuttings. However, we cannot guarantee your success. The cuttings are sold in bundles of 3 cuttings because they usually don’t all make it. But even one happy plant can get you started and you can take more cuttings of it once it has taken off. If you want to skip the step of rooting your cuttings, you can buy plants that are already rooted.
Merritt Tree Collards are a perennial brassica plant hardy to 25°, possibly lower. We propagated it from a cutting at Merritt College in Oakland, thus the name. The original plant probably self seeded in the garden from the numerous brassica species that all bloom at the same time. The plants in our nursery beds are now three years old and have produced seeds several times. After flowering and setting seed in the spring, they return to vigorous vegetative growth. The leaves on our plants often measure over 2 ft long and weigh up to 1/2 a pound.
Eventually your plants may produce flowers later in the spring. If so, let them flower and set some seeds. Then remove the flower stalk and they will resume vigorous leaf growth. They tend to make a very strong central stalk, and are more compact than purple tree collards. They can be propagated by cuttings once you get your first plant established.
These remarkable plants can be harvested all year round and are delicious sautéd, blended into smoothies, dehydrated into chips, or fermented into kraut. They are packed with nutrients, especially Vitamins B1, B2, B9, C, and beta-Carotene. They are a good source of fiber as well.
All of our cuttings are tip cuttings from young, healthy growth on our mother plants which are grown in fertile, compost rich soil. We never use pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers in our garden. Please have high quality potting soil and some 4″ or 1 gallon containers on hand for their arrival. Tree collards root best in mild weather conditions and will need part sun.
Please note that while we hope that every order we ship thrives in your garden, we cannot be responsible for cuttings that freeze or get cooked in your mailbox or suffer for any other reason outside of our control. If they arrive damaged from the post office, please photograph the cuttings and contact us within 24 hours of receipt.
