how to harvest chard and kale

How do you pick chard so it keeps growing?

The most common method for how to pick chard is to cut off the outer leaves 1 ½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm.) above the ground while they are young and tender (about 8 to 12 inches (20.5 to 30.5 cm.) long). Older leaves are often stripped off the plants and discarded to allow the young leaves to continue to grow.

Will Swiss chard grow back after cutting?

Chard is best treated as a “cut-and-come-again” crop. This harvesting technique involves taking only a few older leaves at a time from each plant, allowing younger leaves to continue growing for additional harvests later in the season.

How do you harvest Swiss chard without killing the plant?

Either cut or break a few stalks from each plant. This is more appropriate when you have less growing space available and want to harvest chard without killing it. The plant keeps growing and you can continue to pick it.

How do you harvest kale so it keeps growing?

On a kale plant, this is the central portion of the plant where stems converge and new growth emerges. To allow new growth, cut the stems above the growth point. To do this, cut just below where the stem connects to the larger leaves. This will leave the smaller ones intact so the plant can continue growing.

Which is healthier kale or Swiss chard?

As you can see in the chart above, kale does exceed the other greens in vitamins A and C, but Swiss chard has 16 percent more iron than kale. ... All four types of greens are also rich in many other nutrients, including manganese, folate, copper, choline, magnesium, potassium and vitamins E, K, B2 and B6.

How often do you water chard?

Like all vegetables, Swiss chard does best with a nice, even supply of water. Water regularly, applying 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week if it doesn't rain.

Can you eat chard raw?

Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw Swiss chard is less bitter than cooked. A bunch of raw Swiss chard will cook to a much smaller amount. ... Sauté, steam or cook the stalks in a pan with water (1/2 cup per bunch) first, then add the leaves and cook until wilted.

Does chard come back every year?

Chard is a biennial plant, meaning it has a two year life cycle, but it is cultivated as an annual in the vegetable garden and harvested in its first season of growth.

Is Swiss chard a Superfood?

Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse -- an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber.

Can kale and chard be planted together?

Both kale (Brassica oleracea) and chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) are biennial cool-weather crops that grow well in pots all year round except for the hottest part of summer, but chard tolerates the heat better than kale. ... You can plant them together in a large planter or separate them into individual pots.

How many times can you harvest Swiss chard?

Swiss chard can be continually harvested throughout the season. Harvest the outer leaves at the base of the stalk, leaving four to five inner leaves to continue growing. Swiss chard can also be harvested in closer plantings as baby greens, cutting the leaves about 3 inches above the soil and returning every week or so.

Can Swiss chard get too big?

If you water them enough, Swiss chard can grow up to be two feet tall! If you harvest them when the leaves are smaller, they will keep producing more leaves like cut-and-come again salad greens.

Will Kale regrow after cutting?

If you harvest kale correctly, the plant will continue to grow and produce leaves. ... If you cut the plant off at the top or harvest the smaller leaves growing in the center, it is very likely that you will kill the plant. You need to leave that center area at the top of the stem for the plant to keep on producing.

How long do kale plants last?

So How Long Does a Kale Plant Live? Normally Kale is biennial, so it will only live for two years. But there are Kale variants, that can live more than two years like Tree Kale for example.

How do you know when kale is ready to harvest?

Before you begin, you'll need to make sure that your kale plant is ready to harvest. You'll know when it's ready when it's about 12 inches tall and the leaves are the size of your hand or bigger. Leaves that are the size of your palm are younger and more tender whereas the bigger leaves will be older and a bit tougher.

What is the number 1 healthiest food in the world?

The 11 Most Nutrient-Dense Foods on the Planet

Salmon. Not all fish is created equal. ...
Kale. Of all the healthy leafy greens, kale is the king. ...
Seaweed. The sea has more than just fish. ...
Garlic. Garlic really is an amazing ingredient. ...
Shellfish. Many sea animals are high in nutrients, but shellfish may be among the most nutritious of all. ...
Potatoes. ...
Liver. ...
Sardines.

Is chard healthier cooked or raw?

In its raw form, it is a good source of vitamin C. Note that the above values are for cooked Swiss chard. Like many leafy greens, Swiss chard shrinks drastically when cooked, so 1 cup of cooked Swiss chard will contain much more nutrition than 1 cup of raw Swiss chard.

What are the worst vegetables to eat?

Nightshade vegetables, like peppers, potatoes, and eggplant, are are controversial, because many claim they can cause inflammation, according to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietician. This can lead to some pretty serious complications down the line: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to name a few.

Can you eat chard with powdery mildew?

Soaking leaves in hydrogen peroxide will kill powdery mildew. However, I would not recommend eating leaves with powdery mildew on them. Powdery mildew is not toxic to humans, but fungi cause allergic reactions in some people.

Is chard annual or perennial?

Swiss chard is an annual leafy crop and the leaves and petioles (leaf stalks) may be eaten. Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable and the leaves are poisonous; we only eat the petioles.

What does chard taste like?

The large, firm leaves are mild, sweet, earthy and just slightly bitter; on the whole, it's a bit milder than spinach. The stalks -- which can be white, yellow, red, purple, pink, striped and so on -- resemble flat celery with a sweet taste slightly reminiscent of beets.