Plant Swiss Chard: Location & Procedure

Chard is extremely he althy and perfect for growing in home gardens. We show what you should consider when planting chard.

Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is a popular vegetable that not only tastes good but also looks beautiful. Not much can go wrong when growing in your own garden - provided, of course, that you know what to look out for. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about growing leafy greens. Here you can find out when chard is grown, in which location it feels particularly good, how chard should be planted and what is important when it comes to care.

Whether you choose to grow stem chard, which consumes both the stems and leaves, or leaf chard, which provides vitamin-packed leaves - both should be seeded or planted professionally to grow and thrive be able. Luckily, growing Swiss chard is not difficult and always succeeds - whether in the garden bed or in a pot.

The right time to grow Swiss chard

Chard can be sown directly into the bed. But if you want to give your plants a head start, you can also prefer Swiss chard. You start with this from mid-February to the end of July. The direct sowing of Swiss chard in the garden bed begins at the beginning of April for the stem chard and from May for the leaf chard. The problem with direct sowing in the bed, however, is that chard often begins to shoot if it is already sown in spring. Shooting means that the plant is starting to form inflorescences. To avoid bolting, it is better to sow hardy varieties in late fall and harvest in fall and winter. Chard can be sown in the garden bed until the beginning of September.

Tip: If you want to sow your chard at the beginning of April, you should initially protect it from the cold with fleece.

If you have preferred your chard or if you buy young plants, they can be planted in the bed or in the pot from mid-Aprilbecome.

When is chard best grown?

• Move forward from mid-February to the end of July.
• Direct sowing outdoors from the beginning of April to the beginning of September (stalk chard) and from May to the end of July (leaf chard).
• Planting (after four weeks of advance) from mid-April to the end of July.

Tip: Not all varieties are hardy, but chard only develops its flowers in the second year.

The perfect location for chard

Selecting the location is very easy, because the Swiss chard has few requirements. However, the planting should take place in a sunny, at most semi-shady place, because the vegetables do not do well in the shade. The existing soil should be able to store moisture well and be loose. Your chard will also be happy if the soil is as rich in structure as possible. A high humus content in the soil and sufficient nutrients are also important to him.

Tip: Chard not only tastes good, it can also be grown as an ornamental plant. Its colorful stems and differently patterned leaves are a real feast for the eyes and are therefore also ideal for edging beds or for growing on the balcony.

Where is chard ideally grown?

• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Even Moisture
• Loose, structured soil
• High humus and nutrient content

Tip: Good planting neighbors for Swiss chard are all legumes such as beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) or cabbage such as pointed cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). Spinach does not go well at all (Spinacia oleracea).

How to grow chard

To grow Swiss chard, you have to decide whether you prefer seedlings yourself, buy them, or sow the vegetables directly in the garden bed. Those who prefer chard have other advantages in addition to the lower risk of bolting: the chard ripens more quickly and larger plants are less likely to be attacked by snails.

Prefer Chard

For growing on the windowsill, you should use special growing soil and enrich it with a primarily organic fertilizer. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer with long-term effect is very suitable. In theThe seeds are placed about two to three centimeters deep in pots with potting soil, watered and then placed in the sun. The ideal germination temperature is between 18 and 20 °C. The seed should sprout within two weeks. As soon as the seedlings are about 8 centimeters long, they can be separated.

What is the correct way to prepare Swiss chard?

• Prepare pots with potting soil
• Enrich substrate with a predominantly organic fertilizer
• Seed depth: 1 - 2 cm
• Cast on
• Put in a sunny place
• Germination temperature: 18 - 20 °C
• Germination period: 14 days

Tip: Need more color? Our Plantura vegetable set contains, in addition to complete equipment for growing, seeds for colorful vegetables: Swiss chard, radishes, tomatoes, carrots and beets in all the colors of the rainbow.

Plant chard or sow directly

For planting out in the garden and direct sowing, first prepare the bed. Loosen it up well and remove weeds or stones. In order to give the chard enough nutrients and to improve the structure of the soil, you should also work compost or a mainly organic long-term fertilizer into the soil. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is such a fertilizer and optimally supports your chard in its growth.

Now create rows 30 to 40 centimeters apart. The seed is placed two to three centimeters deep and then watered. After they have opened, you should separate the little plants to the desired planting distance so that they have enough space to spread out. The air between the plants can also circulate in this way and fungal diseases can spread less easily. A row spacing of 30 to 40 centimeters also applies to planting. Now create planting holes with a distance of 30 centimeters. The plants are only planted as deep in the ground as they were in the pot. Finally you should water everything well.

Plant chard - step-by-step instructions:

1. Loosen the bed and remove weeds
2. Enrich with compost or a primarily organic slow-release fertilizer
3. Draw seed furrows 30 - 40 cm apart
4. Seed placement at a depth of 2 - 3 cm
5. Cover seed with soil
6. Water well
7. Seedlings after emergenceseparate
8. Create planting holes for planting
9. Planting distance: 30 cm
10. Put the plants only as deep into the ground as they were in the pot
11. Water well

Mangold care

Your Swiss chard needs good care in order to grow well. As an always hungry heavy feeder, regular fertilization is necessary. Compost or a primarily organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is suitable for this. This releases the nutrients gently and slowly to the plants and provides them with all the important nutrients sustainably and over a longer period of time. Your chard should be fertilized every six to eight weeks.

Watering is also very important when caring for chard, because the plant needs a lot of water. So keep the soil evenly moist by watering regularly. But don't overdo it, because chard doesn't like waterlogging at all.

Summary caring for chard after planting:

• Fertilize with compost or a primarily organic slow-release fertilizer
• Fertilize every 6 - 8 weeks
• Water regularly

Anyone who has done everything right during cultivation will be rewarded with a rich chard harvest. You can find out how best to harvest chard in our special article.