Chard is a must in every garden these days. If you want to grow chard, just follow our tips.
Vegetable plant rich in vitamins: chard
Chard is a traditional type of vegetable in our latitudes, which unfortunately has been somewhat forgotten.
Although recently more and more star chefs are discovering this particularly decorative-looking, vitamin-rich vegetable plant for their menu creations and it is therefore being cultivated again in numerous gardens.
Chard, which is related to various beet varieties, yields very good harvest results with little care.
So give it a try and grow chard.
Growing chard - How it's done
» Select variety
There are two planting variations available for chard:
- Sliced chard or leaf chard (spinach-like preparation)
- Mangold (asparagus-like preparation)
Mangold is generally preferred because not only the leaves but also the stalks can be eaten. Swiss chard is available with red, yellow or white stems - mixed cultivation is recommended.
» Plant chard
The planting distance should be about 40 centimetres, also compared to other types of vegetables, such as beans, cabbage, radishes, etc., which in turn reduces mildew infestation can be largely prevented by Mangold. A nutrient-rich soil (piling up humus) with sufficient sunshine (light penumbra is also still tolerable) should always be selected as the location for the Swiss chard. Of course, Swiss chard also feels at home in flower beds, where it can fully unfold optically.
Tip: If possible, do not plant chard next to spinach.
The Swiss chard is usually sown between April and June, when there is hardly any fear of frost. Today, however, you can also buy chard plants that have already grown in well-stocked specialist shops, and they can even be kept as potted plants on balconies and terraces.
Furthermore, chard is a biennial crop, which can be harvested in the first year. in the secondIn the year of planting, it also forms flowers and new seeds, which in turn can be used for reproduction in the coming years.
» Caring for chard
Shortly after sowing, chard should be well protected from frost, which is easy to do with a foil cover. Chard plants that have already grown, which of course may only be used after the frosty days, are also only slightly frost-resistant. It should be mentioned that leaf chard is significantly harder than stem chard.
Tip: Mangold should be well supplied with compost and fertilizer regularly during growth, which greatly promotes its growth. Swiss chard also always loves moist soil, which is why it has to be watered sufficiently on hot summer days.
» Harvesting Swiss chard
The harvest takes place in late summer until autumn. The stems are cut off from the outside as far down as possible or the leaves are plucked. Any wilted leaves should be removed from the vine regularly to ensure a long harvest.
Tip: Small leaves taste sweeter, large leaves have a much tart taste.