Harvesting chard and kale

[Gryfon]

How big should it be before I pick it? Never picked this stuff before so think I might be leaving it too long!

And then kale do you cook like spinach as well? Or is that just chard?

[leona]

i think the best ways to cook kale are either steamed or stirfried.
when did you plant the kale and chard? i started my chard off in march and i have had a couple of small leaves so far. chard is probably not going to be harvestable til next year i wouldnt have thought. ive planted nero de toscana.

[Gryfon]

My husband brought be back some plants in May, some leaves are about 4 or 5" long!

[JennieAtkinson]

Hi Gryffon - I harvest my chard quite small, as I prefer the leaves rather than the stalks. I use the leaves like spinach and use a number of spinach recipes but with chard leaves. Looks quite nice if you have the rainbow chard - lots of vibrant colours in the pasta!

Chard seems to be a plant that the more you cut it, the more it grows. Right through the winter I had fresh shoots coming up from the bottom.

Never found the stalks too tasty, although I know alot of people do.

Hope this helps.

[adam connor]

my chard didn't seem to germinate Planted outside in april - 2 varieties Would it really take that long to germinate or have I hoed oit all up?

[Gryfon]

I don't think it would take that long to germinate!

Will start picking then...got loads of the rainbow chard! Just don't want it to bolt like my spinach did.

Also can it be planted quite close together?

[voodoo veg]

How big or how many leaves does it need before you can start picking without killing it off???

[leona]

chard ive taken the outside biggest leaves of and taken 2 or 3 from a plant with 5 or 6 on it. just make sure theres a couple left