General Culture: Click for monthly care information.
Sow in spring (mid-March to mid-May) and thin to 3-6" apart. Plants thrive in ordinary soil if provided with sufficient nitrogen and water. Regular summer watering helps prevent early bolting. Originally a seaside plant; can withstand salty soil. Heavily mulch with straw for winter and spring harvesting of leaves.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Cultivated by early Greeks, red chard is mentioned by Aristotle. Also grown in China in 7th Century and is still popular there. Depending on cultivar, leaf color may be green, red, or purple with leaf stalks of many colors including red, orange, white, and yellow. Can be a striking a border plant.
Problems: Click for detailed list of pests and problems.
Subject to regular garden pests of leaf miners, aphids, and caterpillars, as well as fungal leaf spots, downy mildew, and root rot.
Uses:
Use young leaves like spinach, fresh or steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, or added to soup. Start pulling off outer leaves as soon as plant is big enough. Harvest regularly leaving central leaves for subsequent harvest. Do not disturb roots.
© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2009
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