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Growing Swiss chard in Containers
Published by Linda Nicastro in Swiss chard • 8/12/2009
The garden this summer got off to a slow start due to the weather. It has rained almost every day here in New Jersey. It was only recently that we started to get some sunny days in between the rain. My plants have finally started growing to the size that they should be. Many have flowers on them, so I should start seeing some cucumbers and melons soon. Right now I only have lettuce and chard that are ready to pick. Today we will be talking about chard.
I had never tasted Swiss chard before. Recently, I kept hearing about it on television and reading about it in magazines. I decided to try growing some since it was constantly being compared to spinach, and I do like spinach. It turned out to be extremely easy to grow.
I grew it in a 30-inch window box. I was planning to pull the plants at an early stage for cooking, so I spaced them only an inch apart. I have learned from other sources that you can also make two or three rows in the box. If you want to let the plants grow to maturity, you have to space them eight inches apart. At that stage, you would cut the outer stalks with a sharp knife. The plant will keep growing.
The variety that I grew was Fordhook Giant. It held up very well under the heat. I boiled it and added butter and salt. It had a very mild bitterness, just like spinach. I think Swiss chard will have a place in my garden from now on.
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