Help me grow Swiss Chard

[dandelion]

I want to harvest my own swiss chard.
Is it easy to grow ?
When is the best time to plant?
Where can I find swiss chard seeds?

[starcandy]

Swiss chard is part of the beet family but they don't have bulbs. They come on a few types too, including one that has a reddish stalk, while another has a creamy white stalk.

Swiss chard can be planted as the soil can be worked and will sprout fairly early and won't be affected by spring frosts. One planting will last for a year.

[TZ-OH5]

I have a hard time getting chard and beets to grow from seed when planted in the garden. My soil is too rough, and slugs get the ones that do germinate. But, you can start chard and beets indoors in pots/cells and then transplant them into the garden when they get true leaves on them. Seeds are usually available on any seed rack.

[gardengirl]

While Swiss Chard doesn't seem to have the greatest germination rate, a few plants will give you plenty of chard. Just snip off the outer leaves for eating, and the plant will grow long into the fall, surviving the first frosts.

[cococrab]

What if I buy swiss chards in the market with roots on it, and planted them, will it grow? Is that silly of me?

[Luna]

Originally Posted by cococrab

What if I buy swiss chards in the market with roots on it, and planted them, will it grow? Is that silly of me?

No harm in trying Let us know how it works if you do try

[maddragoon]

swiss chard is probably the easiest plant to grow i've ever had. i admittedly didnt start mine from seed, i bought a six pack from a local plant vender in early april. after planting them it only took a few days for them to come out of the "transplant shock" normally associated with leafy vegitables. they shot right up to a foot in about a month.

the pack included all 4 color varities yellow, red, white and green stemmed. friends have mistakenly identified them as elephant ear plants because they are well over 3 feet tall with dark green to burgandy leaves. the only form of food they got was a 40lb bag of compost manure in a 8ft long planting bed. the chard is on corner taking up about 3 square feet of ground space at their bases. they share their bed with 3 huge parsley chumps, a few rosemary plants, a couple broccoli plants i let flower, some chives, onions a rouge seedum plant and a spearmint plant that is taking over my yard now.

this bed is in partial/mostly shade area only getting sun in the middle of the day most of the summer.

the chard is VERY tolerant of heat and cold. we are on our second hard frost this fall/winter and the chard plants dont seem to even know its cold out. still as big and beautiful as ever. this morning they had ice crystals all over them and then this afternoon they had their glossyness back in full form.

swiss chard is giong to be a must in our garden from now on.

chop'm up with carrots, cabbage, onion and bell peppers for an awesome stirfry combo!

[marci357]

Swiss Chard is a 2 year plant that grows like a weed here in NW Coastal Oregon. I have grown it for years. It overwinters, makes it thru floods and freeze, is hardy, and is still doing fine in my garden in February. The 2nd year it is growing one needs to keep ahead of it, keep it chopped low, and don't let it bolt and go to seed until you want seeds from it.

Nice to have fresh greens in the dead of winter
I have always started it from seed. Fordham is my usual variety for a green chard - but sometimes I spice up the garden with the rainbow varieties - they don't tend to grow as vigorously nor as tall as the green, but they add some color to the garden. Mine are mostly in raised beds now, but in the past have grown just as well in the ground itself.

Use: any way you'd use spinach.
I chop them up in stews and soups. I dry them, stalks and all, for soups later in the year. I like them chopped up, stalks and all, and sauted with chopped onions in some chopped bacon. Delicious!

They are a constant staple in my garden - I just wouldn't be without them