Swiss Chard

[Aberdeenplotter]

Never grown this till this year when I grew about twenty in 4" pots intending to use the vibrant colours as part of a display in a wheelbarrow. In the event, they hadn't grown sufficiently and I have twenty bonny multicoloured plants in pots at the back door.

Couple of questions.

1. What is its value in the kitchen?

2. Is it worth planting them out? I'm really asking if they are best grown as an annual or as a biennial or as a perpetual.

I could of course just gurgle this but we're a wee bit short of gardening questions just now and some of you lot will have the answers

[roitelet]

In the kitchen the leaves can be cooked like spinach and I prefer them to spinach. The stalks are edible and the French make a gratin from them. It is a bi annual so even when it begins to go to seed in the spring the flavor of the leaves doesn't change so you can go on eating it until you are fed up with it.

20 plants is a lot! For two of us I have 6 outside and 6 in the tunnel for when the weather is bad and I am giving it away!!!!

[Aberdeenplotter]

I knew someone would come up with the info I needed. Guess I need to find a home for some of my plants

[Aberdeenplotter]

Cheesy chard gratin | BBC Good Food

[Mr Bones]

Could plant it in the plot and what doesn't get eaten is great to add to the compost

[unclefudgly]

Chard is a very under rated vegetable IMO. Really love it's earthy flavour, stalks are also far nicer than the leaves.

[Lisasbolt]

Do you have chickens, mine absolutely love it and i could give kilos to them a day, so if you have the space why not.
They sauté it over here in olive oil with garlic, peppers, potatoes and almonds. It is really lovely like that.
I also use it raw in salad again very nice.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Do you have chickens,

No, but I know a very nice lady who does and better still, she will happily plant some up just for the chooks

[Lisasbolt]

Or you could swap the chard for eggs

[Aberdeenplotter]

Nowt like a bit of barter

[WendyC]

One plant is too much for us!

[Filbert]

It is also very hardy so should do well in Aberdeen (if that is where you are growing)

[janzbro]

next year (my 1st year) I am dedicting an 8x4 bed for the chickens. no1 on my list is chard, followed closely by cabbage, you never know I might even get some for the table LOL

[Alison]

It is also very hardy so should do well in Aberdeen (if that is where you are growing)

People keep saying this but unless the winter is very mild I don't find it survives outside so always put some in the tunnel overwinter now. Perpetual spinach is much hardier than the pretty coloured charts though.

[janzbro]

How do you grow it ? any tips or is it just a case of throw it on and let it go