Swiss chard is a valuable leafy vegetable that is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and can therefore be grown as an attractive alternative to spinach. There are two types: cut or leaf chard and stem or rib chard. Both species are sown directly outdoors from April.
How do you successfully sow chard outdoors?
Sowing chard outdoors is best done by creating seed holes 30-35 cm apart in a sunny bed with compost-enriched soil from April to June, sowing 2-3 seeds per hole and keeping the sowing site moist. The germination time is one to two weeks.
Time to sow
Chard is a biennial plant. The sowing time is from April to June. You can harvest the leaves and stems in the first year. For overwintering, the plant is protected with mulch (€14.00 on Amazon) or fleece.
Prepare the bed
You should choose a sunny location for growing chard. You add compost to the soil in the fall so that it is sufficiently enriched with nutrients by spring. Before sowing, dig up the soil thoroughly again.
Since the chard plants grow very luxuriantly, there should be enough space in the bed. You should maintain a minimum distance of 30 to 35 cm between the plants.
How to sow successfully
- make a deep hole with your fingers or a planter
- Put 2 – 3 seeds in each seed hole
- cover with soil
- Keep seed site moist
- the germination time is one to two weeks
After sowing
If several plants have developed in one place, they must be separated. You leave the strongest young plant standing and the others get a new place. One of the chard plants could find a new location in a tall, wide planter, which should definitely be in a sunny place.
It is important to provide sufficient nutrients until the chard is harvested. This is done through mulching and fertilizing.
Tips & Tricks
Maintaining the minimum distance on the chard bed can be made easier for yourself: Use small sticks to mark the bed so that you can create a seed hole at the correct distance.
