Chard question

[Alice]

My little chard seedlings are looking wonderful. The question is - how many should I grow to give a useful addition to the vegetable supply for 2 people.

[JennieAtkinson]

Alice - I've had seven plants in the polytunnel all winter and they have provided us enough leaves for soup which we probably have about 3 times a week. I've had to throw alot of leaves away as we don't actually like the stems unfortunately. They do make good leaves, especially if picked young.

Be interesting to see how many others have grown.

I grow Rainbow Chard and just love the colours! So worth it just for that even if we don't eat much of it.

[Alice]

Thanks Jennie, I had thought about putting a row in the raised bed, and dotting some others around the place in among the flowers as they are quite ornamental. Interesting to hear how many others grow.

[wellie]

I grow them too, and find that between three and six plants are more than enough for the two of us. They are a valuable addition to the potager, but will 'bolt' if too hot or dry Alice I've found. Well worth growing, and I've got some in my Cut-And-Come-Again 'Salad Bar' for cutting as baby salad leaves, like spinach.

[Alice]

Thanks Wellie.

[serenity]

I LOVE chard (I'm a greens person) so have 12 plants growing at the moment. you can't buy it where I live for love nor money so am going to grow loads to cook up and freeze. I could eat it every day........

[dexterdoglancashire]

I'm growing swiss and rainbow chard for the first time this year. Ooops! Looks like Ive sown far too much - a full tray of each!
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Headfry]

OH has just dug out our chard- it had bolted. We had 8 ish plants, they got to about 4' tall and the roots were huge!!!
Can you eat the roots?
I love growing Rainbow chard for the outstanding colours!
Never thought of using the leaves in soup......doh! thanks JA for that tip!

[Earthbabe]

Once you've used the leaves for whatever, try using the stems to make a base for a flan - lush, the big stems may need a quick blanch first.

[JennieAtkinson]

I use the leaves like spinach Headfry, but they do make the soup go rather "green"!! I have also used them in a stir fry before now when I was wondering what else to pad it out with and that worked fine, although I noticed my husband left a few of his on the side of the plate! He is not a greens man.

[carlseawolf]

I'm growing 24 white chard in a raised bed , intersown with iceburg lettuce.

[Alice]

If I'm using spinach or greens for the soup I cook it separately, put a spoonful in the bottom of the soupbowl and ladle the soup over. It saves the soup from being too "green".

[shirlthegirl43]

I planted 3 rainbow chard seeds but seem to have about 9 - 12 seedlings showing through. Are they like beetroot and have the seeds in a cluster? If so, do I need to thin them out a bit when they are bigger? I think I am going to have to keep them in 10litre pots - will they need a pot per plant?

[carlseawolf]

my chard is planted in blocks 1' each way and growing great , i think its one plant per seed and you might get away with 3 to a 10 litre pot as you cut the outside leaves to eat.

[Cutecumber]

no, the seed is a cluster, and you can get five or six seedlings from one seed. Separate them fairly soon because it will be impossible when they are older and you will damage the roots.

Chard can grow very big - the base of the stem, with it's thick juicy leaves could be three inches in diameter at maturity. The leaves are wide and easily a foot long and they splay out. If you want the biggest crop, therefore, give them plenty of space. They can tolerate less space, but they will not be as productive. The rainbow chard plants, in my experience are not as vigorous and robust as the pure-white variety - I don't know why.

I now grow leaf beet rather than chard, although I really like the latter. You can get more leaf beet in a small space and it's softer and more delicate in flavour. Chard plants are amazing things, though, and I am sure I shall grow them again when I have more space.

I only finished last years crop of leaf beet a couple of weeks ago - both it and chard are brilliant all-year crops.