Swiss chard

Beta vulgaris (Cicla group) · Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	2 to 11
Sun	full sun
Water	moderate
Life cycle	biennial
Frost	Half-hardy: takes a light frost
Soil pH	6.0–6.5
Spacing	6 to 9 inches
Days to harvest	45 to 60 days
Soil temperature to plant	at least 40°F

About Swiss chard

Swiss chard is a beet grown for its big leaves and colorful stems instead of its root. It is one of the easiest greens: pick outer leaves and the plant keeps making more for months.

Grown as an annual in every zone; it tolerates light frost. As a biennial, it will not flower until it has lived through a winter.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Start seeds indoors: 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost
Set out plants: 2 weeks before the last frost
Sow seeds outdoors: 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost
Fall planting: 6 to 10 weeks before the first fall frost

Days count from seeding. In cold northern springs, waiting until after the last frost can help, because a long cold spell can make plants bolt; UMN suggests early to mid-May in Minnesota.

Soil

Well-drained soil improved with compost; chard tolerates slightly more acidic soil than spinach, down to about pH 6.

Follow a soil test and keep pH about 6.0 to 6.5; without a test, work in about 1 1/2 lb of balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 per 100 sq ft, or up to 1 inch of compost.

Feeding

at thinning, or about 4 weeks after setting out transplants: nitrogen fertilizer such as 21-0-0. Spread about 1/4 cup per 10 ft of row beside the plants and water it in.
after a big harvest of leaves: nitrogen fertilizer such as 21-0-0. Give a light side-dressing beside the row and water it in to help new leaves grow.

Do not use weed-and-feed products, and skip extra phosphorus unless a soil test calls for it.

Harvest

Pick outer leaves once they are big enough to use, leaving the center to keep growing (cut-and-come-again), or cut the whole plant at once.

Pick outer leaves and leave the center growing for repeated harvests all season; a light nitrogen side-dressing after picking helps new leaves come.

Varieties (15)

Variety	Type	Days	Notes
Charbell	Colored stems	35 days	A vigorous chard with bright stems that is slow to bolt.
Bright Lights	Multicolored stems	55 to 60 days	Milder than ordinary chard. Stems in red, yellow, pink, orange and white with lightly crinkled green to bronze leaves. It won an All-America Selections award and is pretty enough for flower beds.
Rainbow	Multicolored stems		Stems in red, pink, white, orange, yellow and striped colors.
Charlotte	Red stems		A red-stemmed chard on Wisconsin Extension's list.
Ruby Red	Red stems		Deep green, crinkled leaves with red veins and bright red, slightly flat stems.
Vulcan	Red stems		A red-stemmed chard on Wisconsin Extension's list.
Rhubarb	Red stems, heirloom	55 to 60 days	Reddish-green crinkled leaves on bright red, wide stems with an orange tint. Also sold as Rhubarb Red or Ruby chard.
Fordhook Giant	White stems	50 to 60 days	Dark green, crinkled leaves with white veins on broad white stems. It stands up well to heat.
Large White Ribbed	White stems		Smooth, dark green leaves on broad, smooth, white stems that are a little flat.
Lucullus	White stems	50 days	A standard chard recommended by Utah State, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and UF/IFAS.
Monstruoso	White stems		A white-stemmed chard on Wisconsin Extension's list.
Paros	White stems		Mild and sweet. Tall, shiny, upright green leaves on thick white stalks.
Silverado	White stems		Glossy, dark green leaves and white stems on a compact plant.
Argentata	White stems, Italian heirloom		Mild and sweet. Silvery-white midribs and broad, crinkled, deep green leaves.
Bright Yellow	Yellow stems	28 days	Long, thick stems with yellow stems and veins.

Pests to watch for

Leafminers, Flea beetles, Aphids, Cutworms, Slugs, Brown garden snail, Blister beetles, Deer

Diseases and problems

Cercospora leaf spot, Nitrogen deficiency

In the kitchen

Young leaves go raw into salads; older leaves and stems are sauteed, added to soups or cooked like spinach.

Keeping it: Like spinach, keep leaves cold and moist in a bag in the fridge and use them within about a week. The thick stems keep a little longer than the leaves.

Pets: Listed as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA 'Beets' entry, which names Swiss chard); large mature leaves contain oxalic acid.

Sources

Photo: Photo: Neelix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.