🥬
Swiss Chard
Rainbow
Leafy GreensDirect SowTransplant
☀️
Sun
full sun
💧
Water
Every 4 days
🌱
Germination
10 days
🕐
Days to harvest
55 days
📏
Planting depth
0.5 inches deep
↔️
Row spacing
12 inches
When to Plant
Direct sow in early spring
Growing Guide
Soil: rich, moist · pH 6.0–7.5
Swiss chard is one of the most adaptable vegetables. It tolerates both poor and rich soil but thrives with 2–3 inches of compost. Good moisture retention is more important than fertility.
- Each 'seed' is a cluster of 2–4 seeds — thin to 6 inches when seedlings are 3 inches tall
- Direct sow 2–4 weeks before last frost; chard tolerates light frost
- Can be planted in both spring and late summer — fall chard often overwinters in zone 5 under mulch
- Spacing closer (4 inches) for baby leaf harvest; wider (12 inches) for full-size stems
- Chard in part shade bolts more slowly in summer heat than in full sun
Care
💧 Water every 4 days
🌿 Fertilize every 21 days
📐 Spacing: 6 inches apart · 12 inches between rows
Recommended sub-rows: 3
Harvest & Storage
Ready in 55 days with a harvest window of 60 days.
- Harvest outer stalks from the base, leaving the inner crown to keep producing
- Cut stalks cleanly at soil level rather than pulling
- Rainbow chard produces colorful red, yellow, orange, and pink stems — harvest young for the most vibrant color and tenderness
- At the end of season, harvest the whole plant before hard frost
Storage
Refrigerate wrapped in a damp paper towel in a bag for 5–7 days. Store leaves and stems together or separate them. Blanch and freeze for use in soups and stir-fries.
Companion Planting
Grows well with:
beanonion
Essential Tools
- Sharp knife or scissors (harvest)
Pests & Diseases
- Leaf miners (Pegomya betae): same as beets (chard and beets are the same species) — row covers prevent egg-laying; remove affected leaves
- Aphids: clusters under leaves — water spray; beneficial insects
- Slugs: irregular holes in leaves — iron phosphate bait