How to Grow Chard
Choose a type of chard., Decide on seeds or seedlings., Consider mixing seeds., Choose the right time., Find the right spot., Prepare the soil., Space the chard at the correct intervals., Plant at the right depth., Water regularly., Harvest when the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a type of chard.
There are three main type of chard that you can plant: white-stemmed, colored, and perpetual.
White-stemmed chard is usually the most productive, but colored chard are the most attractive ornamental option.
Perpetual varieties, which have a spinach-like taste, typically remain compact, so they’re ideal for small or container gardens.White-stemmed varieties, such as ‘Fordhook Giant’ and ‘Silverado,’ are usually more tolerant of both heat and cold than other types of chard.
Colored varieties, such as ‘Pink Passion,’ ‘Golden Sunrise,’ and ‘Orange Fantasia,’ come in shades of red, pink, yellow, and orange, and usually grow quite tall.
You can find some seeds and seedlings that only feature a single shade and others that offer a mixture of colors.
Colored varieties of chard are usually the least cold hardy, so they work best in warm to mild climates.
Perpetual varieties, such as ‘Perpetual’ and ‘Verde da Taglio’, provide mild tasting leaves over a more prolonged growing season.
They tolerate heat pretty well, so they're a good option for warmer climates. -
Step 2: Decide on seeds or seedlings.
When you’re planting chard, you can either start from seeds or seedlings, which are young plants that you can purchase from your local nursery.
The obvious benefit of planting chard from seedlings is that you don’t have to wait as long for the plant to develop, so you can enjoy your chard more quickly.
On the other hand, planting chard from seeds is less expensive and you usually have a wider range of varieties to choose from.In a warm or mild climate, you shouldn’t run into much planting your chard as seeds.
In climates where you go from a warm season to a cold season very quickly, you are usually better off planting your chard from seedlings. , If you decide to plant your chard as seeds, you’ll likely find packets that contain a mixture of colored chard.
However, you can customize your chard by combining different colors yourself to get the exact combination that you want.
Purchase packets of seeds for different colors, such as pink and orange, and mix them together before planting.You can also mix white-stemmed varieties with colored chard for a striking contrast in your garden. , You can plant chard in either the spring or the fall depending on your preference.
If you’re opting for a spring harvest, plant the chard two to three weeks before the last frost.
For a fall harvest, you can plant as early as late summer but no later than 40 days before the first frost.A spring planting usually provides a harvest through the spring, summer, and fall.
If you plant in both the spring and the fall, you can have a chard harvest virtually year round. , When you’re selecting a spot in your garden to plant chard, it’s important to consider the amount of sunlight that the plants will receive.
In early spring and fall, when the weather tends to be cooler, chard prefers full sun.
In the summer, when the weather is warmer, it prefers partial sun.
However, keep in mind that chard usually tolerates heat fairly well, so it can work well in a sunny section of your garden.Chard grows well in containers, so if you don’t have the right spot for it in your garden, consider planting it in a pot or planter. , For chard to grow well, it needs properly prepared soil.
Several weeks before you plan to plant, dig through the area to remove any large rocks or weeds.
You should also mix some compost and organic fertilizer, according to the rates on the label.
Allow the mixture to sit for two to three weeks, so the soil has time to receive enough moisture and air.Chard grows best in soil with a pH between
6.0 and
6.8, so it’s slightly acidic.
You can purchase a soil pH testing kit at your local garden supply store to check your garden. , For a successful harvest, you must space the chard properly.
For seeds, plant them in rows approximately 3- to 6-inches apart.
If you’re working with chard seedlings, place them in rows approximately 12-inches apart.When you’re creating the rows for the chard, make sure that they’re at least 18- to 24-inches apart.
If you’re working with seedlings, you may need to thin them out to get the distance right.
Use cuticle scissors to cut them rather than pulling them out. , When you’re ready to plant the chard in the soil, it’s important to place it at the right depth.
For seeds, plant them approximately ½- to ¾-inch deep.
If you’re working with seedlings, place them as deep as possible so the soil reaches the bottom of the leaves.Pay attention to how many seeds you plant too.
The rule of thumb is eight to ten for every foot in the row., Consistent watering can help your chard grow better.
Stick to a regular schedule, and apply approximately 1- to 1 ½-inches of water a week if it hasn’t rained.
Place a rain gauge in your garden, so you know how much water the plants have received and adjust accordingly.Giving chard enough water can also help prevent it from getting a bitter taste.
Adding an organic mulch around the plants can help them retain moisture so they grow well.
Ground bark, compost, straw, or finely ground leaves work well as mulch. , You can usually tell when chard is ready to be harvested because the leaves are large enough to eat.
The plants should be approximately 6- to 8-inches tall, though colored varieties may be taller.
Use a sharp knife to cut off the outer leaves that are at least 1 ½-inches off the ground.If you’re careful when you harvest the chard, the young, inner leaves will continue grow in place of the outer leaves that you've removed, so a new harvest will be ready in the future.
It typically takes anywhere from four to 12 weeks for chard to be ready for harvest. , Right after you harvest the chard, bring it inside to rinse it in cold water.
The water helps cool the leaves, and remove any dirt, insects, or other debris from the surface.
Take a moment to examine the chard after rinsing to ensure that the leaves are completely clean.
Insects in particular can cling to the underside.Place the chard leaves on a piece of power towel after rinsing to soak up any excess water. , The best place to store your chard is in the refrigerator, where it can last for two to three days.
Make sure that the leaves are completely dry, and place them inside a ventilated plastic bag.
If possible, store them inside the crisper drawer.You can also freeze chard if you’re not going to use it right away.
Place it in boiling water for two minutes and then immediately into ice water to blanch it.
Dry thoroughly, and place in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags for freezing.
It can last up to a year in the freezer. -
Step 3: Consider mixing seeds.
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Step 4: Choose the right time.
-
Step 5: Find the right spot.
-
Step 6: Prepare the soil.
-
Step 7: Space the chard at the correct intervals.
-
Step 8: Plant at the right depth.
-
Step 9: Water regularly.
-
Step 10: Harvest when the plants are the right size.
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Step 11: Rinse thoroughly.
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Step 12: Store in refrigerator.
Detailed Guide
There are three main type of chard that you can plant: white-stemmed, colored, and perpetual.
White-stemmed chard is usually the most productive, but colored chard are the most attractive ornamental option.
Perpetual varieties, which have a spinach-like taste, typically remain compact, so they’re ideal for small or container gardens.White-stemmed varieties, such as ‘Fordhook Giant’ and ‘Silverado,’ are usually more tolerant of both heat and cold than other types of chard.
Colored varieties, such as ‘Pink Passion,’ ‘Golden Sunrise,’ and ‘Orange Fantasia,’ come in shades of red, pink, yellow, and orange, and usually grow quite tall.
You can find some seeds and seedlings that only feature a single shade and others that offer a mixture of colors.
Colored varieties of chard are usually the least cold hardy, so they work best in warm to mild climates.
Perpetual varieties, such as ‘Perpetual’ and ‘Verde da Taglio’, provide mild tasting leaves over a more prolonged growing season.
They tolerate heat pretty well, so they're a good option for warmer climates.
When you’re planting chard, you can either start from seeds or seedlings, which are young plants that you can purchase from your local nursery.
The obvious benefit of planting chard from seedlings is that you don’t have to wait as long for the plant to develop, so you can enjoy your chard more quickly.
On the other hand, planting chard from seeds is less expensive and you usually have a wider range of varieties to choose from.In a warm or mild climate, you shouldn’t run into much planting your chard as seeds.
In climates where you go from a warm season to a cold season very quickly, you are usually better off planting your chard from seedlings. , If you decide to plant your chard as seeds, you’ll likely find packets that contain a mixture of colored chard.
However, you can customize your chard by combining different colors yourself to get the exact combination that you want.
Purchase packets of seeds for different colors, such as pink and orange, and mix them together before planting.You can also mix white-stemmed varieties with colored chard for a striking contrast in your garden. , You can plant chard in either the spring or the fall depending on your preference.
If you’re opting for a spring harvest, plant the chard two to three weeks before the last frost.
For a fall harvest, you can plant as early as late summer but no later than 40 days before the first frost.A spring planting usually provides a harvest through the spring, summer, and fall.
If you plant in both the spring and the fall, you can have a chard harvest virtually year round. , When you’re selecting a spot in your garden to plant chard, it’s important to consider the amount of sunlight that the plants will receive.
In early spring and fall, when the weather tends to be cooler, chard prefers full sun.
In the summer, when the weather is warmer, it prefers partial sun.
However, keep in mind that chard usually tolerates heat fairly well, so it can work well in a sunny section of your garden.Chard grows well in containers, so if you don’t have the right spot for it in your garden, consider planting it in a pot or planter. , For chard to grow well, it needs properly prepared soil.
Several weeks before you plan to plant, dig through the area to remove any large rocks or weeds.
You should also mix some compost and organic fertilizer, according to the rates on the label.
Allow the mixture to sit for two to three weeks, so the soil has time to receive enough moisture and air.Chard grows best in soil with a pH between
6.0 and
6.8, so it’s slightly acidic.
You can purchase a soil pH testing kit at your local garden supply store to check your garden. , For a successful harvest, you must space the chard properly.
For seeds, plant them in rows approximately 3- to 6-inches apart.
If you’re working with chard seedlings, place them in rows approximately 12-inches apart.When you’re creating the rows for the chard, make sure that they’re at least 18- to 24-inches apart.
If you’re working with seedlings, you may need to thin them out to get the distance right.
Use cuticle scissors to cut them rather than pulling them out. , When you’re ready to plant the chard in the soil, it’s important to place it at the right depth.
For seeds, plant them approximately ½- to ¾-inch deep.
If you’re working with seedlings, place them as deep as possible so the soil reaches the bottom of the leaves.Pay attention to how many seeds you plant too.
The rule of thumb is eight to ten for every foot in the row., Consistent watering can help your chard grow better.
Stick to a regular schedule, and apply approximately 1- to 1 ½-inches of water a week if it hasn’t rained.
Place a rain gauge in your garden, so you know how much water the plants have received and adjust accordingly.Giving chard enough water can also help prevent it from getting a bitter taste.
Adding an organic mulch around the plants can help them retain moisture so they grow well.
Ground bark, compost, straw, or finely ground leaves work well as mulch. , You can usually tell when chard is ready to be harvested because the leaves are large enough to eat.
The plants should be approximately 6- to 8-inches tall, though colored varieties may be taller.
Use a sharp knife to cut off the outer leaves that are at least 1 ½-inches off the ground.If you’re careful when you harvest the chard, the young, inner leaves will continue grow in place of the outer leaves that you've removed, so a new harvest will be ready in the future.
It typically takes anywhere from four to 12 weeks for chard to be ready for harvest. , Right after you harvest the chard, bring it inside to rinse it in cold water.
The water helps cool the leaves, and remove any dirt, insects, or other debris from the surface.
Take a moment to examine the chard after rinsing to ensure that the leaves are completely clean.
Insects in particular can cling to the underside.Place the chard leaves on a piece of power towel after rinsing to soak up any excess water. , The best place to store your chard is in the refrigerator, where it can last for two to three days.
Make sure that the leaves are completely dry, and place them inside a ventilated plastic bag.
If possible, store them inside the crisper drawer.You can also freeze chard if you’re not going to use it right away.
Place it in boiling water for two minutes and then immediately into ice water to blanch it.
Dry thoroughly, and place in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags for freezing.
It can last up to a year in the freezer.
About the Author
Susan Davis
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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