Swiss Chard Spring Planting When To Plant Chard In Spring

When to Plant Swiss Chard For the spring season, plant chard seeds 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost date. When ready to plant, apply 5-10-10 fertilizer to the area. To speed germination, soak seeds in water for 24 hours prior to planting.

What time of year do you plant Swiss chard?

Plant Swiss chard in the spring, 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. These colorful, nutritious plants grow well in raised garden beds, containers, and in-ground gardens. Space Swiss chard 12 to 18 inches apart in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.

When should I plant chard?

Chard is mainly sown in the spring for picking over the summer, although by protecting the crop with a cloche, leaves can be harvested during autumn and winter.

What vegetables can you plant early spring?

You may plant these seeds outside directly into your garden: kohlrabi, kale, collards, Chinese kale, peas, onions, radishes, spinach, lettuce and turnips. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts are best started indoors as early as 4-6 weeks before planting them outside.

When should you start planting for spring?

For most crops, you should start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date. In the Midwest, plant your seeds indoors in the middle to end of April. In the South, the last frost can occur as early as the beginning of February, so plant your indoor seedlines then.

Does Swiss chard need full sun?

Swiss chard prefers rich, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. In the North, sow from early spring to midsummer for a fall crop; in the South sow in fall to spring. Sow the seeds 1/2 inch deep in rows spaced 18 inches apart. Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart when they are large enough to handle.

Does Swiss 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. Once it begins to flower and set seed in its second year, its leaves turn bitter and unpalatable.

What can I plant next to Chard?

Swiss chard – Beans, Brassicas, and onions make the best companions for chard. Thyme – An all around beneficial plant for the garden, thyme is particularly worth planting near Brassicas (as it repels cabbage moths), and strawberries, as it enhances flavour.

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.

Is chard better than kale?

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.

What can you plant in early spring?

5 Early Spring Veggies You Can Plant Now

Snow Peas. Like their shell and sugar snap cousins, snow peas are cold-weather veggies best planted the moment the soil can be worked every spring. ...
Lettuce. Lettuce is among the easiest early spring veggie to plant. ...
Kale. ...
Radish. ...
Broccoli.

What is considered early spring for gardening?

The term “Early Spring” is a different time of year for every garden zone and part of the world. Early spring is a loose term for that time of the year when you are experiencing thaws, the temperatures are staying mainly over freezing, and the soil is thawed enough to work with again.

What's the easiest vegetable to grow?

10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow Yourself

Peas. ...
Radishes. ...
Carrots. ...
Cucumbers. ...
Kale. ...
Swiss Chard. ...
Beets. ...
Summer Squash (Zucchini) Summer squash and zucchini like well-composted soil and need plenty of space (plant them 3 to 6 feet apart in warm soil and lots of sun.)

What is best to plant in spring?

Herb and vegetable gardens are perfect for planting in the spring. ... Choose vegetables that you can seed directly into the ground or into containers, such as peas, beans, radishes, carrots, lettuce, and swiss chard. All are great growers that require minimal maintenance. Tomatoes can be picky when they're young.

What should I be planting in March?

Sow lettuces, tomatoes, salads and cauliflowers under cover. Outside, you can sow peas, carrots, beetroot, summer and autumn cabbages, herbs, leeks, spinach, turnips, spring onions, broad beans, Brussels sprouts and parsnips. This is also a good time to start planting out early potatoes, onions, garlic and shallots.

How do I prepare my garden for spring?

Before you begin planting in the spring, here is a checklist of the 8 steps you should take to prepare your garden for a successful season:

Get your shed in order. Go over your tools. ...
Clear out weeds, mulch, and debris. ...
Prune. ...
Prepare the soil. ...
Set up new planters and garden beds. ...
Divide perennials like Daylilies.

What temperature can Swiss chard tolerate?

Swiss chard is a biennial that grows as an annual in all temperate zones. It's hardy to approximately 15°F, but while it does best in cool temperatures, it can tolerate heat with adequate watering.

Can Swiss chard grow in shade?

Swiss Chard

Among vegetables, leafy greens are the most tolerant of shade, including kale, lettuce, spinach, arugula and chard. Related to both beets and spinach, Swiss chard tastes a little like both and is fairly easy to grow.

Does 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.

Is Swiss 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.

Does Swiss chard keep producing?

Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender (smaller than 4 inches (10 cm.)) or after maturity. Once you have begun your Swiss chard harvest, the plants can be continually harvested up until it frosts. ... As long as chard is cut it will produce more leaves.

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.