Swiss Chard
Every garden should have at least one of the colorful varieties of swiss chard. It's as beautiful as it is delicious. And, so versatile in the kitchen. Young leaves will perk up a salad, while mature leaves are excellent with a quick sauteed or as a last addition to soups. 'Bright Lights' has truly bright multi-colored stems. It's an AAS (All American Selections) Winner , so it's an easy and reliable variety. 'Bright LIghts' is a wonderful show in the garden and on the plate. Great in containers, too. Another attractive variety is 'Ruby Red Rhubarb' and we enjoy the mild flavor and hardiness of the white-stemmed 'Argenta'.
Characteristics
- A Cool Season crop, planted in both the early spring and fall. Use row covers to extend the growing season. Often plantings in the spring can be harvested right through the summer into fall.
- Direct seed for best results or use plants started indoors for an early crop.
Planting and Tending
- Direct seed into garden in early spring and the fall. For a detailed spring planting schedule, check out this Vegetable Planting Schedule.
- Plant 1/2” deep, 1-2” apart.
- Thin to 6" apart.
- Average number of days until germination: 7-14.
- To harvest, cut outer leaves at the base of the plant, or use scissors to harvest the entire plant.
- Average number of days until maturity: 35.
Companion Planting
More Information
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You may also appreciate these books on growing vegetable gardens.