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Swiss Chard: A rewarding and colorful food to grow

Clear and bright, hot pink, orange, and yellow form the palette of a gorgeous plate of these greens! Related to the beet, Swiss Chard is a tasty and decadent vegetable to include into your kitchen garden. Have you priced it in the grocery stores? It’s quite expensive but oh so easy to grow. 

 

Swiss Chard is a biennial, meaning, that it takes two years to flower.   This means that the plant will produce delicious leaves until the second year when it flowers and becomes bitter. In Florida, the challenge is getting it thru our hot and humid summer.  It will succumb to fungus in our humid climate during the hotter months,  and the aphids find it delicious as well.  Don’t let that deter you as its ease of growth is a plus.  Chard is a wonderful substitute for spinach, will take the heat much better, and will grow happily in sun or partial shade. Any sandy soil that has been amended with some manure or store bought potting soil will do since it is not particular about soil. It likes even moisture and does well with a little extra nitrogen. This can be in the form of bonemeal or manure. 

 

The delicious and broad leaves are harvested when they are at least 4 inches long. This vegetable will keep giving and giving and a little nurturance will bring the promise of many good meals to come. To harvest, simply cut ten to twelve of the outer, longest leaves and allow the center to remain intact so it may create more leaves.   The large, fleshy leaves cooks down much like spinach does. The stems are a colorful addition to any recipe so be sure to leave them in the mix. They are tasty and tender and wonderful chopped and sautéed in olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon, and a bit of fresh garlic.  They also make an elegant addition to a simple chicken soup. Stir fried with some onion and olive oil creates a wonderful topping for fried rice.

 

A few varieties of chard are available including Bright Lights, Fordhook giant, Lucullus, Rhubard Chard, and Silverado. Bright Lights is the variety usually found on garden center seed racks and it has the brightly colored stems. You can order other varieties from your favorite seed supplier.

 

Chard is a very rewarding vegetable to grow and a culinary delight as well.   Chard at the local produce market cost $4 per dozen stalks.   It grows well in the cooler months between September and May and is a colorful addition to the garden.   Chard will reward you with  an abundance of tender leaves, delicious taste, and ease of growing.  Enjoy!

 

For more information: Swiss Chard . Check out  Suzanne's Florida Gardening Articles,  South Florida Gardening