{"id":1141,"date":"2019-09-01T04:43:25","date_gmt":"2019-09-01T04:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/?page_id=1141"},"modified":"2019-10-07T02:18:48","modified_gmt":"2019-10-07T02:18:48","slug":"1141-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greenmanpublishing.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/01\/1141-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beta<\/em> <\/em>vulgaris<\/em> <\/em>varcicla<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong>: Chard is\nthe same species as the beet, but is grown for its edible foliage rather than\nthe root. Though it is often called Swiss chard, it was first domesticated\nsomewhere in the Mediterranean and was prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans\nfor its nutritional and medicinal value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate<\/strong>: Chard is\na cool season crop, preferring to grow at 45\u00b0F – 75\u00b0F. It can grow in warmer conditions, but the leaves tend\nto be smaller and inferior in flavor. It can also tolerate some frost and in\nmilder areas will continue to grow right through the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of growing<\/strong>:\nThis is one of the easiest vegetables to grow, very productive, little bothered\nby pests or disease and resistant to both heat and cold. I highly recommend it\nas an almost foolproof potherb for the small garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop value<\/strong>: A useful crop because it has a long\nproductive season (as a biennial it isn\u2019t prone to bolting in its first year)\nand is a nutritious green leafy vegetable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutritional content<\/strong>: The leaves are considered to be one of the most nutritious of\nthe common green vegetables. They contain large amounts of vitamins A and C, as\nwell as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron. They also contain no less than\n13 (count em) antioxidants and a host of other phytonutrients, too numerous to\nname. They are not a great energy source, only having about 85 calories per pound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chard also contain oxalic acid, which can inhibits the absorption\nof calcium to some degree (see Spinach<\/strong> for more on this). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
About Chard<\/strong>  <\/strong>

Seed facts<\/strong>
Germ temp: 50 – 85\u02daF
Germ time: 5 – 21 days
42 days \/ 41\u02daF
16 days \/ 50\u02daF
9 days \/ 59\u02daF
6 days \/ 68\u02daF
5 days \/ 77\u02daF * Optimum
5 days \/ 86\u02daF
Viability: 5 years
Germination percentage: 60%+
Weeks to grow transplants: 3 – 4  <\/strong>

Planning facts<\/strong>
Hardiness: Hardy
Growing temp: 45 (60 – 70) 75\u02daF
Plants per person: 10
Plants per sq ft: 4
Days to harvest: 50 – 60  

Planting<\/strong>
Transplants:
Start: 4 wks before last frost date
Plant out: on last frost date
Direct sow on the last frost date
Fall: Plant 10 – 12 wks before first fall frost  <\/strong>

Harvest facts<\/strong>
Harvest period: up to 30 weeks
Yield per plant: 10 oz (or more)
Yield per sq ft: 2 to 8 lb sq ft  <\/strong>
<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

Soil<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

pH 6.0 \u2011 6.8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chard has a\ndeep, strong root system that is able to seek out the nutrients it needs, so it\ncan grow well on fairly poor soil. However for highest yield it does best in a\nfertile garden soil, rich in humus, well-drained and not too acidic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil preparation<\/strong>:\nIncorporate 2\u02dd of compost or aged manure into the top 6\u02dd of soil. Add dolomitic\nlime (to raise the pH and to supply magnesium) and wood ashes (to raise the pH\nand supply potassium).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chard is\ncultivated in much the same way as beet, but it is easier to grow as it only\nhas to produce foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where<\/strong>: In cool\nclimates chard needs full sun for maximum production of foliage. It doesn\u2019t\nlike high temperatures, so in hot climates it should be grown in part shade. It\nis one of the most shade tolerant of common crops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/strong>: Chard is\nquite hardy, but it germinates slowly at low temperatures, so is usually\nplanted out around the last frost date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with the beet, each \u201cseed\u201d is actually a cluster of flowers\nfused together, each containing a single seed. This is why you end up with\nseveral plants, when you plant one seed. You can gently break up these clusters\nand get individual seeds to plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seed clusters contain a water-soluble germination inhibitor,\nwhich can be leached out by soaking the seed overnight prior to planting. Don\u2019t\nsimply soak them in a glass of water overnight however, as they may absorb\nwater so quickly, they can be damaged. Instead they should be put on a damp\npaper towel, so they can absorb moisture slowly. You could take this one step\nfurther and actually pre\u2011germinate the seeds before planting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transplants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting inside<\/strong>:\nChard doesn\u2019t really like root disturbance, though it will tolerate it when\nyoung. For this reason it is usually grown in cell packs, plug trays or soil\nblocks. Germination is quite uneven, so seeds may continue to emerge for a week\nor more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting out<\/strong>: Set out\nthe transplants on the last frost date. Don\u2019t let them get too large inside,\notherwise exposure to temperatures below 50\u02daF (for two weeks), could vernalize\nthem. They will then bolt as soon as it gets warmer. If cold weather threatens,\nyou should protect the newly planted seedlings with cloches or row covers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Direct sowing: <\/strong>This\nis pretty straightforward and is the preferred method of growing chard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broadcasting<\/strong>: Scatter the seeds so they are spaced about\n2 – 3\u02dd apart and cover with a \u00bd\u02dd of cover soil mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rows<\/strong>: Make\nfurrows \u00bd – \u00be\u02dd deep, plant the seeds 1\u00bd\u02dd apart and re-fill with topsoil. If the\nsoil isn\u2019t very good, you could cover with a mix of half soil and half compost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinning<\/strong>: When all\nof the seeds have germinated, you can start thinning. Don\u2019t start too early\nthough, as some may be damaged by cutworms, slugs, or other pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinning is\nbest done in several stages, as the plants get larger. You can use the\nthinnings for food, or as transplants (they transplant fairly well if less than\n3\u02dd tall). The clusters don\u2019t need much thinning, as the strongest plant tends\nto take over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spacing<\/strong>: Chard\ngrows fast and gets quite large so needs plenty of space. Plant it 8 – 12\u02dd\napart, depending upon the fertility of the soil and the growing methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chard is a\nrobust and undemanding plant. Keep it well fed and watered and it should produce\nabundantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water<\/strong>: Chard is\nrelatively drought tolerant, though for highest quality and yields it should be\nwell supplied with water. It is particularly important to keep the soil evenly\nmoist in hot weather, as lack of water can encourage bolting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertilization<\/strong>: If\nyou are going to be harvesting intensively, you should feed the plants\nregularly with compost tea or liquid kelp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mulch<\/strong>: This\nhelps to keep down weeds while the plants are young (older plants can take care\nof themselves). It also helps to keep the soil cool and conserve moisture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bolting<\/strong>: Chard is\na biennial, but sometimes it will bolt in its first year. This is most often\nthe result of vernalization (see Broccoli<\/strong>), but may also be caused by drought, crowding, poor soil or other\nstress. If a plant bolts there\u2019s not much you can do but pull it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pests<\/strong>: Chard is\nlittle bothered by pests and disease generally. My biggest problem has been\nleaf miners. You can crush them in the leaf and scrape off the small white egg\nclusters but row covers are the best solution. Slugs and snails will eat chard\nif there is nothing more to their liking. In some areas nematodes can be a\nproblem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disease<\/strong>: Cercospora leaf spot is the most common\ndisease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seed saving<\/strong>: The process is the same as for the related beet. Chard and beet\nwill cross-pollinate so you can only save one type at a time. The seed is\nproduced abundantly, especially if you are saving it from 5 plants to ensure\nsome genetic diversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t count on all of you plants producing seed. Chard plants are\ndioecious, which means either male or female and of course only female plants\nwill produce seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/strong>: You can start pinching off the\nindividual leaves as soon as they get big enough to use. I usually  harvest the individual outer leaves, just as\nthey are reaching full size (which may be 8 – 12\u02dd).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How<\/strong>: Chard is a great \u201ccut and come again\u201d crop.\nKeep harvesting the outer leaves as they get big enough and more will be\nproduced. Harvest freely, but take care not to take too many from a single\nplant at one time. Give them a chance to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be\nable to rejuvenate a tired old plant, by cutting it down to within 3 – 4\u02dd of\nthe ground. It should then sprout tender new growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage<\/strong>: Use the leaves immediately after harvest, as they are thin and\ndon\u2019t keep for very long (only a few days in the fridge in a plastic bag). For\nlonger term storage it can be frozen like spinach. This is useful for those\ntimes when it is producing far more than you can use immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unusual growing ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring greens<\/strong>: If\nyou protect the roots over the winter, they will start growing again as the\nweather warms up in spring. This new growth can be harvested several times\nbefore the plants bolt. Once the plant starts to bolt the leaves aren\u2019t very\ngood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ornamental<\/strong>: The spectacularly colored chard varieties (red, white, orange,\nyellow) are highly photogenic and are a favorite of upscale magazine garden\nphotos. They can be used as foliage plants for ornamental garden beds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varieties<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruby\nChard<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rhubarb\nChard<\/strong>: These two varieties have beautiful red\nstems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bright\nLights<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rainbow\nChard<\/strong>: These two varieties produce a\ncombination of red, yellow, green and white stems and are beautiful enough for\nany ornamental garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perpetual Spinach<\/strong>: This is an old variety with thin tender stems, that more closely\nresembles spinach than other chards (it is also known as spinach beet). It\nisn\u2019t as attractive as some of the other varieties, but is very productive and\nbolt resistant. It is my favorite variety (so far).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green Lucullus<\/strong>: One of commonest green varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fordhook Giant<\/strong>: A very productive old heirloom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen use<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leaves\ncan be used in any recipe calling for spinach. The best way to cook them is to\nboil for 3 – 5 minutes, as this leaches out a lot of the oxalic acid. If the\nstems are tough just fold the leaf in half lengthwise and slice it off with one\ncut of the knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supposedly\nthe thick stems are sometimes prepared as a separate vegetable, though I\nimagine they would be pretty bland (those of the colored varieties may also be\nquite tough).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sag Aloo<\/strong>
 
This Indian curry is normally made with spinach, but this works just as 0
well (as does any other mild flavored green leaf).
20 oz chard leaves
1 onion chopped
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
\u00bd tsp black pepper
2 tbsp black mustard seed
2 cardamom seeds
2 cloves garlic chopped
20 oz potatoes in small cubes
1 small hot pepper, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt  

Toast the cardamom and mustard seeds in the hot oil (don\u2019t let it
overheat) until they start to pop. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 2 minutes, then add the rest of the spices and cook for another 2 minutes.
Then add the potatoes, hot pepper, chard, salt and water. Cook a further
30 minutes until potatoes are cooked. You could vary this recipe by using different combinations of vegetables.  
<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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