Swiss Chard
Type: Vegetable
Rotation Group: 4, Brassicas
 | | RAINBOWBring colour to your vegetable garden with white, red, pink and yellow stems and savoyed green leaves. A good addition to salads as a baby leaf or can be left to mature for cooking. |
 | | PEPPERMINTPeppermint is a new and extremely attractive two-tone Swiss chard. which produces spectacular coloured leaves once the plants have established. Graduating from flamingo pink to white and with deep green coloured leaves, this variety of chard will not only add flurries of colour to your vegetable patch but can decorate any flower border it is added to. |
 | | PERPETUAL SPINACHWorthwhile spinach-alternative which does not run to seed even on dry soils. High yields of large, dark, fleshy, tasty leaves produced over several months. Invaluable. |
 | | RHUBARBThe plant forms clusters of leaves tinged red with a deep red rib.The leaves can be gently cooked like Spinach and the ribs treated like Asparagus. Pick young stems and the plant will keep producing new growth. Ideal as a baby leaf and adds colour to salads, with its remarkable red petioles, mid-rib and veins. |
Site, Soil and Preparation
A fertile, moisture retentive soil in full sun or partial shade should be chosen. The soil must be neutral to slightly alkaline; adding lime may be needed on acid soils.
Indoor Sowing
Chard should be sown direct outdoors.
Outdoor Sowing
Sow thinly, 100mm (4in) apart, in 25mm (1in) deep drills in rows 450mm (18in) apart.
Thinning
When plants are 1500mm (6in) high thin out to leave 1 plant at 200-300mm (8-12in) spacings.
Transplanting
Chard do not need transplanting.
Care
Keep weed free and water regularly during hot dry weather. Applying a mulch to retain moisture can help.
Harvest
Treat as a cut and come again crop, picking the outer leaves regularly, this will also encourage new growth. Young leaves can be used raw in salads or if left until large should be cooked.
