Step-by-Step Growing Guide
Swiss chard is one of the most versatile and productive vegetables in the garden — related to beets, it tolerates both light frost and moderate heat far better than spinach, making it a near-year-round crop in many climates. Grow in fertile, well-drained soil at pH 6.0–7.0. Chard 'seeds' are seed clusters like beets — sow 1.5cm deep in rows 30cm apart and thin to 20–25cm between plants. Thinnings are edible. Water consistently — 2.5cm per week — as irregular moisture causes tough, bitter leaves. Feed every 3–4 weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser. Swiss chard is a cut-and-come-again plant — harvest outer leaves regularly and the centre keeps producing new growth. In hot weather, provide afternoon shade to reduce leaf toughening and extend the harvest window. Mulch to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature. One planting can produce from spring through autumn in most climates, sometimes longer with row cover protection.