How to grow Chard

Beta vulgaris var. cicla

Full Sun
Medium

Growing Chard from seed

Germinates easily and can be sown direct. Thin to alow the plants room to grow. Sow again in three or four weeks time to give a succession of stems

Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 0.39 inches (1.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 0.39 inches (1.0 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 10°C / 50°F to ensure good germination.

Transplanting Chard

Pretty enough to be grown in the flower garden.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Chard is a very hardy plant.

Harvesting Chard

Pull young leaves and stems, but hardy and is left in the ground through the winter

Seed Saving Chard

Seed viability is four years.

How long does Chard take to grow?

These estimates for how long Chard takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Chard to germinate?: 9 days
Average 9 days | Min 1 days | Max 27 days (489)
Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Chard?: + 28 days
Average 28 days | Min 1 days | Max 78 days (101)
Days to Maturity How long until Chard is ready for harvest / bloom?: + 82 days
Average 82 days | Min 6 days | Max 239 days (233)
Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Chard?: = 119 days

Chard Etymology

The botanical epithet is from the Latin vulgaris meaning “common”

Other names for Chard

Swiss Chard, Perpetual Spinach, Silver beet, Mangold, Leaf beet, Silverbeet

Misspellings: silverbeat, Spinach, Bettes suisses

Footnotes

¹ Smiling Gardener’s chart