Swiss chard
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I'm very new to this to would appreciate any suggestions: I'd like to grow Swiss Chard and was wondering if anyone has any tips' I'm especially worried about pests eating the foliage - is spraying the only option? given that I want to avoid chemical treatment as much as possible are there any alternatives? My last attempt at cabbage growing ended in an impressive row of chomped stumps so I'm keen to avoid my leaf crops disappearing again this year!
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Jenny Green
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The only thing I've known to eat swiss chard is slugs. It's much easier than any of the brassicas, which seem to have gm pests specifically engineered to kill them. If you use one of the variety of slug deterrants you should be fine.
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sally wright
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Dear Poppyseed,
I have found capsid or shield bugs in mine; they are usually green and hide very well in the foliage and are not always found before consumption. (they taste VILE!!!)
Regards Sally Wright.
I have found capsid or shield bugs in mine; they are usually green and hide very well in the foliage and are not always found before consumption. (they taste VILE!!!)
Regards Sally Wright.
If you've got the room - grow your first lot of chard for the summer and then sow a new bed for overwintering. I grow the rainbow ones 'cos they look pretty on the plate.
Old timers will recall me getting into a very heated debate last year with folk who don't like chard. I'm a big fan as it's more like 3 veg in one which is particularly useful in the winter.
Old timers will recall me getting into a very heated debate last year with folk who don't like chard. I'm a big fan as it's more like 3 veg in one which is particularly useful in the winter.
I love the taste and multi use of chard. I haven't seen the rainbow variety - I have the yellow and may get hold of the red - is this, as common sense would indicate!, a multi coloured variety? Thanks for the tip about overwintering; this is something which I will get to grips with later in the year, I will need to pick everyone's brains about the best way to do this but that's another subject! Thanks for your suggestions Tigger.
There are a number of types of Swiss Chard and it is important to know the differences if you want the best results for cooking.You need the white-stemmed varieties with glossy dark green leaves. This is available under the named Silverado but there is an alternative. If you grow the un-named packet sort you will see amongst the seedlings that some have pink stems. Seperate these and grow on, it's up to you whether you want to keep the rest but grow the pink ones completely seperately and you will get the best white stems and green leaves from them and when you keep seeds from them they will breed true to type.
Regarding the rainbow mixtures It seems that they must be growing them seperately and not all colours are very good to eat. The strong reds are rather tough and the pure yellows are weak growers and only good for balancing up the colour mixture. The pinks are a variable bunch. In all I don't recommend them apart from the novelty.
Another variety is Fordhook Giant which has white stems but is really a bit too big for convenience.
As recommended two sowings will take you through the year but the winter ones are far better off under cover.
All the Swiss Chards transplant well when small so I recommend planting them seperately of if you sow direct you can pick out the pink ones and discard the others, then fill in any gaps. Given space they will make large plants and are easier ot pick from.
Allan
Regarding the rainbow mixtures It seems that they must be growing them seperately and not all colours are very good to eat. The strong reds are rather tough and the pure yellows are weak growers and only good for balancing up the colour mixture. The pinks are a variable bunch. In all I don't recommend them apart from the novelty.
Another variety is Fordhook Giant which has white stems but is really a bit too big for convenience.
As recommended two sowings will take you through the year but the winter ones are far better off under cover.
All the Swiss Chards transplant well when small so I recommend planting them seperately of if you sow direct you can pick out the pink ones and discard the others, then fill in any gaps. Given space they will make large plants and are easier ot pick from.
Allan
Hi Poppyseed,
Whilst I do not totally disagree with Allan I feel that he has only telling you what he grows and that is far from the full picture.
The current variety is called White Silver and is really super. There is also Ruby Chard, Canary Yellow Chard which are available in individual colours. It is also available as Chard Bright Lights and includes a colour range white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, lipstick and red. In some catalogues it is listed as Rainbow Chard.
I make several sowings throughout the year of White Silver as I am exceedingly partial to eating very young plants when they are about 2-4" inches high.
I grow those for the winter later on in the year and have an all year supply. I cover the winter crop with heavy duty fleece. I start thining a row out at 2-4 inches leaving plants to mature about every 15 inches and eat everthing in between. Athough I grow Perpetual Spinach and Spinach I prefer Swiss Chard as it has less Oxalic Acid in the leave and is therefore not so dry to taste as the others.
I should not worry too much about pests as although I get a particular Catapillar it is a very bright green and that is only in the later stages of the Summer crop. I know what Sally means as if you squeeze the bugs she mentioned you cannot get rid of the smell from your hands until really scrubbed.
Don't let that put you off simply wash everything before you entertain eating it.
I treat all Chards the same when cooking and fail to grasp what Allan is on about!
Whilst I do not totally disagree with Allan I feel that he has only telling you what he grows and that is far from the full picture.
The current variety is called White Silver and is really super. There is also Ruby Chard, Canary Yellow Chard which are available in individual colours. It is also available as Chard Bright Lights and includes a colour range white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, lipstick and red. In some catalogues it is listed as Rainbow Chard.
I make several sowings throughout the year of White Silver as I am exceedingly partial to eating very young plants when they are about 2-4" inches high.
I grow those for the winter later on in the year and have an all year supply. I cover the winter crop with heavy duty fleece. I start thining a row out at 2-4 inches leaving plants to mature about every 15 inches and eat everthing in between. Athough I grow Perpetual Spinach and Spinach I prefer Swiss Chard as it has less Oxalic Acid in the leave and is therefore not so dry to taste as the others.
I should not worry too much about pests as although I get a particular Catapillar it is a very bright green and that is only in the later stages of the Summer crop. I know what Sally means as if you squeeze the bugs she mentioned you cannot get rid of the smell from your hands until really scrubbed.
Don't let that put you off simply wash everything before you entertain eating it.
I treat all Chards the same when cooking and fail to grasp what Allan is on about!
JB.
I only report as I find, based on years of trials.I expect Silverado and White Silver are much the same, nothing wrong there.
We have grown both Bright Lights and Rainbow Chard mixtures and I have not been aware of any difference. We have been splitting the colours up and recombining to get a balance of the colours and we have eaten these mixtures. It's all right to eat but nothing like as good as the straight white-stemmed ones from whatever source and the main letdowns are the yellow and ruby. When we sell there have been more returns from the Rainbow/Bright Lights packs, it maybe people don't like to pay for the extra work involved, more likely that the customers agree with our verdict.
On the whole Swiss Chard is one of our most profitable lines because we have it when there is little else available.Even the small leaves on the seeding stem sell well as spinach leaf.
Allan
We have grown both Bright Lights and Rainbow Chard mixtures and I have not been aware of any difference. We have been splitting the colours up and recombining to get a balance of the colours and we have eaten these mixtures. It's all right to eat but nothing like as good as the straight white-stemmed ones from whatever source and the main letdowns are the yellow and ruby. When we sell there have been more returns from the Rainbow/Bright Lights packs, it maybe people don't like to pay for the extra work involved, more likely that the customers agree with our verdict.
On the whole Swiss Chard is one of our most profitable lines because we have it when there is little else available.Even the small leaves on the seeding stem sell well as spinach leaf.
Allan
Wow, can't believe the wealth of help and information here! Thanks Allan, Johnboy and Tigger. I have planted (as titled on the packets) Rhubarb Chard 'Charlotte' and Swiss chard 'Bright Yellow'. I look forward to comparing the flavour with the white stemmed varieties which I am more familliar with. Thank you all!
Hello Poppyseed
I'll just add my threepennyworth of info if thats OK? I put a little straw around my chard as this helps to keep the leaves clean. Their wrinkly leaves can be a pain to clean in the kitchen if they get splashed with dirt from heavy rain. Once the plants are well established keep picking even if you don't need the leaves as its the new fresh inner leaves that are a real treat not the tougher outer ones.
Cloches are also work very well with this crop for extending the season into the autumn and bringing on overwintered plants in early spring.
If the plants show signs of bolting (early sowings might do this) discard the plants as they wont be useful any more.
John
I'll just add my threepennyworth of info if thats OK? I put a little straw around my chard as this helps to keep the leaves clean. Their wrinkly leaves can be a pain to clean in the kitchen if they get splashed with dirt from heavy rain. Once the plants are well established keep picking even if you don't need the leaves as its the new fresh inner leaves that are a real treat not the tougher outer ones.
Cloches are also work very well with this crop for extending the season into the autumn and bringing on overwintered plants in early spring.
If the plants show signs of bolting (early sowings might do this) discard the plants as they wont be useful any more.
John
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pigletwillie
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do you have to keep picking this crop to prevent tough big leaves as I presume the smaller leaves are the ones you eat?
Last edited by pigletwillie on Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kindest regards Piglet
"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind".
"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind".
