Chard

Growing Guide

Swiss Chard comes in a stunning combination of vivid red, yellow and white stems supporting a lush dark green canopy. Some varieties of seed will offer single colours, whereas others give the full rainbow effect. Swiss Chard is easy to grow and has a broad tolerance of soils and seasons. Water plants often during dry spells in the summer.

Direct sow seed outdoors from March to August, in a well prepared, moist, fertile seedbed in full sun or partial shade.



Sow seeds thinly at a depth of 1cm in drills 30cm apart. Thin seedlings to 7cm apart for 'baby leaves' which will be ready to harvest approximately 50 days from sowing. For larger leaves thin to 15cm apart, or 25cm for mature plants.

TOP TIPS

Harvest regularly, and the plants will produce continually. Use the “cut-and-come-again” harvesting technique, taking the largest, oldest leaves and leaving the young ones to continue growing. If chard plants become overgrown, they become less flavorful, so it is often worth harvesting even if you don't intend to eat it, pop it on the compost and your next harvest for eating should be tasty.