As mild-flavored as spinach and withstands heat better than most other greens. This plant has huge, dark green, juicy leaves and have broad, thick midribs and are delicious in stir fries. If you are a first time gardener and like Swiss chard, you will have success with this plant. You will get plenty of harvest from just few plants. Swiss chard, which is also known as white beet, strawberry spinach, seakale beet, leaf beet, Sicilian beet, spinach beet, Chilean beet, Roman kale, perpetual spinach, silverbeet and mangold (and that's just in English!) can also be grown in pots, but just make sure not to overcrowd them in the pot. This means that even apartment dwellers can have swiss chard almost all year long. Swiss chard plants look attractive and vibrant so you can even plant them in between your flower or ornamental gardens. It would be like planting Hostas, but swiss chard instead. The bonus part is that you can harvest and eat them, unlike Hostas.
I discovered that I can trick my son into eating Swiss Chard by adding them in my bread or bun roll recipes. Finely chopped, he doesn't even notice. He will ask about the green color, and I just say something in the lines of "that's the nutrients or vitamins". Try it, and you can feel good about having your child eat so much bread if not much of anything else.
When to plant. Plant when the soil is at least 40 degrees F. The plants are quite cold hardy, so in many places it's not too late to start some seeds for a late fall/early winter crop. Chard plants do well even in heat (mid-80s).
How to plant. Sow in outdoor row as soon as ground can be worked (Zone 7, April - July). Place one seed every 3 inches and cover firmly with soil. Prefers full sun. Thin to 6 inches apart when plants are 3 inches tall. Use thinnings as fresh greens. Keep plants heavily mulched and moist.
Light | Full sun |
Seed Depth | 1/4 in |
Spacing Row/plant | 20 in/ 6 in |
Days to germinate | 7-10 |
Days to harvest | 60 |
Preserve by | Freezing & canning |
Harvest. When plants are 7 inches tall, cut outer leaves at soil level with sharp knife. Harvest will continue all season if inside leaves are permitted to grow. Below is a picture of some of my harvest last year. In the picture you will see Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Snap peas, and young Spinach leaves. Chard is the one with thicker stalks.
Recipes: Here are some links to favorite Chard recipes. When I have time I will post my own recipes.
Roasted Swiss Chard with Feta cheese
Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese
Simple Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard Quesadillas (Guadalajara, Mexico)
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