Seed Planting Depth

Seeds per gram

Germination Temperature

Days to Germination

Row Spacing

Plant Spacing

100' Row Yield

Sun

Beta vulgaris

Planting Tips:

Heirloom chard is a leafy vegetable that makes a good alternative to spinach. Growing heirloom chard can be easier than growing spinach as it is better able to withstand higher/lower temperatures and droughts. As well as its value as a food crop Swiss Chard also has a very striking value as an ornamental plant and many times it appears in a gardens ornamental borders or ornamental pots. Heirloom chard is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

Preparation:  Turn over the soil and dig in some well composted manure a number of weeks before sowing. This will help soil moisture retention and soil aeration. Make sure to break up any large clods of soil with your fork and rake the soil to obtain a fine soil structure in which to plant your Chard seeds.

Sowing:  Heirloom chard is normally sown directly into the soil.  Sow the Chard seed in rows around 45cm apart and about 5 cm apart. The seeds should be sown at around 1/2" depth. The plants will need thinning.  If left until around 8" in height before thinning then the thinned plants can be treated like an early harvest and the young leaves will be extremely tender and tasty. Chard doesn't like a soil that is too acidic, an acidic soil will stunt growth. Chard grows well in a soil of around 6.5 - 6.8.

Seeding Rate:

150,000 plants/acre, aproximately 5 lb.

Heirloom seeds are hardy but always take care with your garden seeds to give them the appropriate amount of moisture - not letting the vegetable seeds dry out prematurely or overwatering and possibly having them rot.