Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is related to the beet, but instead of eating the fleshy roots, we eat the leaves and stems. It’s easy to grow, and because of its colorful stalks, Swiss chard is often grown as a border plant as well as a vegetable. While it’s usually grown in Florida as a cool season vegetable, it handles heat as well.
Chard has large, glossy, dark green or red leaves that are borne on white, red, or bright yellow leafstalks. Plant seeds directly in the garden or transplant from small containers. Favorite varieties are `Bright Lights’ and `Fordhook Giant,’ which are green-leaved, and `Rhubarb,’ which has red leaves.
Prepare Swiss chard as you would other leafy greens. Sometimes, the fleshy white leaf midribs are separated from the leaf blade and prepared much like celery or asparagus.
Classification
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Cultivars
rainbow chard
Red, orange, pink, and yellow stems. The leaves of all are bright green-excellent in salads when young or cooked any way you use spinach. Sow in early spring, and again in midsummer for a fall and winter crop.
Characteristics
- edible
- edible leaves
- edible stems
Description
Size
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Uses
Planting and Growing
How to Sow
- Sow in average soil in full sun spring as soon as ground can be worked.
- Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.
- Sow about 6 inches apart and cover with ½ inch fine soil.
- Firm lightly and keep evenly moist.
- Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days.
- Thin stand to about 12 inches apart when seedlings are 1-2 inches tall.
How to Grow
- Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating. Avoid disturbing the soil around the plants when weeding.
- Keep plants well watered during dry periods to promote rapid, uninterrupted growth. Plants need about 1 inch of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.
- If flower stalk appears, remove it to prolong the harvest.
- Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.
Harvest and Preserving Tips
- Begin harvesting leaves when they reach 5-6 inches or are large enough to use.
- Break off the outer leaves at their base, taking care not to damage the inner leaves.
- Plants that are harvested regularly will continue to produce new growth from the center of the plant.
- Both the leaves and stalks are edible raw, steamed, and sautéed, but avoid the lower 2-3 inches of the stalk as it may be fibrous and tough.
- Swiss chard may be blanched and frozen. Stems may be pickled.
Requirements
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Planting
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Landscape Planning
Notes from the Jungle
10/28/18 Got some very sad small plants from Home Depot. Need to find a better source for edible plants.
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