Vegetable · Leafy green
Swiss Chard
Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisSwiss chard is the leafy green for gardeners who want steady returns without much fuss, throwing up glossy, colorful leaves for months on end. It shrugs off both a bit of frost and a stretch of heat that would finish off spinach. The one rule: harvest outer leaves only, and the plant will keep resprouting from the center all season.
Sow depth
¾ in
Spacing
8 in · rows 16 in
Sun
Sun or part shade
Germination
7–14 days
Time to harvest
50–60 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow swiss chard
- Sow from about 2 weeks before your last expected frost until about 10 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow into well-worked soil — each seed cluster yields several seedlings.Thin clusters to one seedling per spot once true leaves appear.Sow again in late summer for a second harvest into autumn.
Water evenly — consistent moisture keeps stems crisp and leaves tender.Feed midseason to sustain the long, repeated cropping habit.Mulch to conserve moisture and keep leaves clean during heavy rain.
Cut outer leaves at the base — leave the center to keep producing.Harvest leaves at any size, from baby greens to full maturity.Pick regularly to encourage tender, continuous new growth.
Companion plants
Chard tolerates the light shade cast by taller beans, making good use of vertical garden space.
Watch out for
Leaf miner — Larvae tunnel between leaf surfaces, leaving pale winding trails. Pinch off and discard affected leaves as soon as they appear.