Chard, or Swiss chard, is a colourful leafy veg. It has bright stalks. This veggie is like spinach, but easier to grow and won’t quickly seed in dry weather. You can sow it once and get harvests for months. This makes chard a top pick for any garden. It’s easy, pretty, and you get a lot of it over time. You can eat young leaves in salads. And, cook the big leaves like spinach.
Chard comes in many colours. You can find stems and veins in reds, oranges, and more. Some leaves are green, while others are a rich red. Its large leaves and bright stems look great in your garden. Chard can also fit well in tropical-style planting designs.
Key Takeaways
- Chard is an easy-to-grow, versatile vegetable with a long harvesting season
- Chard comes in a variety of vibrant stem and leaf colours
- Chard can be grown in vegetable plots, containers, and even borders
- Chard is similar to spinach but less likely to go to seed in dry weather
- Both young and mature chard leaves can be used in a variety of dishes
Introduction to Swiss Chard
Swiss chard, part of the beet family, isn’t just one colour. It has white, yellow, orange, pink, red, and even rainbow coloured varieties. As a nutritional superfood, it’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K. It also has minerals, phytonutrients, and fibre. You can enjoy chard in many dishes, like salads and pastas. Growing it is easy, making it perfect for those new to gardening. Chard thrives in cool seasons but can handle heat too.
What is Swiss Chard?
Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable with big, colourful leaves and stems. These stems can be white, yellow, orange, or even rainbow. It’s a useful ingredient, delicious both cooked and raw.
Nutritional Benefits of Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is very nutritious. It’s filled with vitamins A, C, and K, and essential minerals. You also get iron, magnesium, and fibre from its leaves and stems. These have phytonutrients, which are great for your health.
Varieties of Swiss Chard
Swiss chard comes in many bright colours. You’ll find it in green or with white stems, or in eye-catching rainbow mixes. Popular types include ‘Bright Lights’, ‘White Silver’, ‘Fantasy’, ‘Bright Yellow’, and ‘Green Wave’.
Choosing the Right Variety
Growing chard offers endless options. Different varieties showcase beautiful stem colours and stunning leaf hues. The trick is picking the right chard type for your garden and what you like.
Stem Colours
The main colours in chard are in its thick stems and leaf veins. You might also see hints of red on the green parts. Stems come in bright ruby or crimson to softer orange, yellow, and white. White stems are the toughest, great for cold areas, but all chards are tough plants.
Leaf Colours
Chard’s leaves are just as colourful as its stems. They come in deep green or have beautiful red, purple, or multicoloured veins. This adds elegance to your chard patch.
RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) Varieties
Choose chard with the RHS Award of Garden Merit for top picks. These varieties have proven their quality in RHS tests. This means they’ll do well in your garden too. Standout AGM chards include ‘Bright Lights’, ‘White Silver’, ‘Fantasy’, ‘Bright Yellow’, and ‘Green Wave’.
Site and Soil Preparation
To grow chard successfully, choose the right place and prepare the soil well. Chard loves sun but can handle a bit of shade in summer. It craves rich, moist soil that also drains well for the best chard growing conditions.
Amending Soil with Organic Matter
Adding organic matter like compost can make your soil better for chard. Do this in the autumn or winter before planting. It helps the soil soak up nutrients, making it perfect for your chard to thrive.
Fertilising the Soil
Before planting chard seeds, make sure to clear away weeds. Spread a high-potassium fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4, at two handfuls per square metre/yard. This gives your chard the nutrients it needs for strong, healthy growth. Fertilising chard properly helps ensure a good harvest.
Sowing Swiss Chard Seeds
Chard seeds are big and simple to plant. You can put them straight into the soil from spring to summer. Or, start them inside for an early crop. Place them in trays with compost inside, in early spring. Put one or two seeds in each tray, cover them lightly with compost, and give them some water. Move them outside after the last frost, when they’re about 5cm (2in) tall.
You can also plant chard seeds outside, from April to July. First, make a shallow drill in the ground and water it. Then, scatter the seeds 10cm (4in) apart. Cover them with soil and water again if it’s not raining. Chard grows well in big, deep containers too. Fill a container that’s at least 40cm (16in) with compost and sow the seeds inside, from April to July.
The Ultimate Guide to Growing Chard in Your Garden
Thinning Seedlings
Chard is easy to grow. You only need to water it in dry times and remove weeds. When the plants get bigger, thin the seedlings. Leave them 30cm (1ft) apart. Or 5cm (2in) apart if you want tiny leaves.
Watering Chard Plants
Young chard plants need regular watering until they grow strong. Older chard can survive without much water. But, for the best leaves, keep the soil moist. Water them during dry periods.
Mulching
In warm, moist weather, spread mulch like garden compost around the chard. Mulch keeps the soil moist and stops weeds from growing.
Weeding
Pull out weeds often. Without weeds, your chard gets more water and nutrients. This is most important when the plants are still young. Weeds can easily take over.
Harvesting Swiss Chard
Chard plants can be picked for many months. If you plant in spring and mid-summer, you’ll have chard almost all year. It’s known for being able to grow back after picking. Picking it often makes more leaves grow. You can either pick a few from each plant or cut them all at once.
When to Harvest
For salads, pick the baby leaves. They should be about 5cm (2in) long. You should eat them on the same day because they go bad quickly. Small leaves are great in salads. Bigger leaves can be cooked, like in stir-fries. Make sure to cook the stems for a bit longer.
Cut-and-Come-Again Harvesting
Picking chard often makes it keep growing more leaves. So, you can keep picking from the same plant over and over. This way, you get fresh leaves all season long.
Harvesting Baby Leaves
For salads or quick cooking, harvest chard when leaves are about 5cm long. These baby leaves are very tender. They’re good for salads or a quick steam. Picking them also makes the plant grow more, so you get more chard.
Pests and Diseases
Chard is sturdy and doesn’t often face problems with pests and diseases. Yet, it’s wise to do some things to keep your chard healthy. These steps help your chard stay strong and grow well.
Common Pests
When chard is young, slugs and snails can be a big problem, especially in wet weather. You can use fleece to protect them. Leaf miners are another trouble. They leave marks on the leaves but removing the damaged ones will help.
Fungal Diseases
If it’s wet or the plants are too close together, chard might get downy mildew or grey mould. Both of these can harm the leaves. To avoid this, make sure there’s enough air between plants and they’re not too wet.
Preventative Measures
One key step is to change where you plant your chard each year. This can keep pests from one season from harming your chard the next. It’s a simple but smart move for a good chard harvest without trouble.
Storing and Using Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is tastiest soon after you pick it. Don’t worry- you can also freeze it. After rinsed, fresh leaves store well in refrigerated, ventilated plastic bags.
To prepare Swiss chard, cut the ribs out of the leaves. You can also cook the stems like the leaves. They’re great with butter, hollandaise sauce, or in an egg yolk dip.
Refrigerating Chard
Rinse your Swiss chard and store it in the fridge in ventilated plastic. This keeps the leaves fresh for a few days. Remember, cool and well-ventilated storage prevents chard from wilting.
Cooking with Chard
Chard is a handy veggie for many meals. You can have its leaves raw in salads or sauté them quick. Thicker stems need longer cooking, so cook them first.
This veggie goes well with garlic, lemon, and Mediterranean flavours. It’s perfect in pastas, pizzas, or quiches. Get creative and enjoy!
Freezing Chard
To freeze chard, blanch the leaves first. This keeps their colour and taste. After cooling, pack them in airtight bags. They’ll keep for 8 months and are good for soups or stews.
Companion Planting
Companion planting is a smart thing to do when growing chard. It boosts the plants’ growth and tastes, and keeps pests away. Picking the right companions for your chard makes your garden a better place.
Nasturtiums are great friends for your chard. They keep away bugs like aphids, spider mites, and cabbage worms. Nasturtiums’ beautiful leaves and flowers make your garden look lovely too. Radish is also a good help. It breaks up the soil and finds pests that are hidden.
Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and chamomile are perfect for chard. They keep away bad insects and can make your chard taste better. Marigolds are also amazing. They stop weeds and pests because they smell strong.
Think about the space and sunlight when picking chard’s companions. Chard needs full sun, so plant taller buddies like pole beans wisely. With a bit of thought, your garden can be a beautiful, supporting place for all plants to grow.
Conclusion
After learning about Swiss chard, you should be ready to grow it in your garden. This leafy green is versatile and full of nutrients. You now know how to pick the best kinds and how to grow, sow, and harvest it. This guide gives you all the tools for a successful chard garden.
Chard is perfect for both new and experienced gardeners. It comes in many colours and tastes, making it fun to use in your dishes. It’s easy to grow and can be harvested many times. This means you’ll have lots of fresh chard to enjoy.
Don’t be afraid to try different chard types and new recipes. Also, remember to share your chard with others. With this conclusion on growing chard, you’re all set to make the most of this nutritious veg in your garden and meals. Have a great time growing!
