Cutting Swiss Chard in a Garden

Cutting Swiss Chard

• Closely related to beets (Beta vulgaris), Swiss chard forms tender green leaves atop white or multicolored stalks. Cut or twist the outer three to five leaves off the plant when they grow 6 to 8 inches long and have a glossy green color. The stems can be cut to 1 inch from the soil surface. Older leaves should be cut off and composted. Be careful not to cut the inner leaves or the crown growing at the base of the plant. Using this approach, you can take multiple harvests from the plants. Once cut, the leaves should be stored in a plastic container in the refrigerator and used within four days.

General Care

• To get the most from your Swiss chard, plant the seeds in spring about two weeks before the last expected frost. Plant Swiss chard 1/2 inch deep and 3 inches apart. The plants should be thinned to 12 inches apart. Like most greens, Swiss chard needs rich, moist, well-draining soil. Till 1 cup of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 20 feet of row into the soil before planting. Apply a solution of 1 tablespoon fish emulsion diluted in 1 gallon water to the plants in mid-summer to encourage new fall growth. Swiss chard performs best in full sun, except in hot areas where it can take partial shade. It should be watered frequently to keep the soil moist 1 inch beneath the surface. A heavy mulch of certified weed-free straw around the plants helps reduce weed growth, keeps the soil cooler and conserves moisture.

Late Season Harvest

• Swiss chard can tolerate light frosts, or temperatures down to 28 degrees. If you use hoop tunnels or floating row covers, you can extend the season by several weeks. Before the first hard frost arrives, though, harvest Swiss chard using one of the following methods: cut the entire plant at the soil line. Dry the plants or blanch and freeze them for winter use. Alternately, you can dig up the entire plants and most of their root systems. Place the plants in a pot and store them in a cool, moist location, such as a basement. If you keep the soil slightly moist, you can continue to harvest the leaves for several months.

Varieties

• Although all Swiss chard varieties are harvested the same way, the type you grow can influence the plants' productivity, as well as the length of the growing season. White-stalked varieties tolerate frost and produce more leaves than the colored varieties. "Fordhook Giant" (Beta vulgaris "Fordhook Giant") is a tall variety, while "Lucullus" (Beta vulgaris "Lucullus") tolerates more heat than most. "Winter King" (Beta vulgaris "Winter King") is a white variety that tolerates cold weather.