Swiss Chard Seeds - Rainbow Blend

Minimum Seeds per Packet: 100

Packet Weight: 2g

Planting Season: Spring or Fall

Sowing Method: Direct Seed or Transplant

Seed Depth: 1/2"

Direct Seed Spacing: 2-4"

Soil Temperature: 45-80 ℉

Days to Sprout: 5-15

Mature Spacing: 10-24"

Sun Requirement: Full Sun or Partial Shade

Frost Tolerance: Moderately Tolerant

Days to Harvest: 60

When to Seed Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a cool weather green that does best when planted for a spring or fall harvest. Swiss chard is slow to bolt and can be grown farther into the summer than many other greens. Start your seeds four to six weeks before your last frost. They can be transplanted outdoors two to three weeks before the last frost. In the fall, they can be sown four to six weeks before the first frost. 

Where to Plant Swiss Chard

Swiss chard seeds can be planted in a spot with full sun to partial shade. Shade is especially useful for this crop in the heat of summer as keeping it cool will extend its harvest even more. However, in the spring when days are shorter, this crop will love full sun. They will love rich, well-draining soil. Before planting, soil can be amended with plenty of compost and organic matter, especially if you deal with clay soils like we do here in zone seven. We recommend rotating all of your crops. Try to select a location that hasn’t had swiss chard or beets in it in the last two to three years. 

Growing Swiss Chard

Swiss chard appreciates fertile, loose soil that is well-draining and evenly moist. Ahead of planting, you can amend the soil with compost or leaf mulch. Plant your swiss chard seeds ½ inch deep and two to four inches apart, if direct seeding. As they germinate, in the next week or two, thin the seedlings until they are ten to 24 inches apart. Keep the seedlings to throw on your next salad or sandwich like microgreens! Like most seeds, swiss chard needs consistent and regular watering in order to germinate effectively. We recommend watering everyday until germination. After germination, swiss chard will benefit from at least an inch of water per week.

Harvesting Swiss Chard

Swiss chard can be harvested at any size, and stays tender even when quite large. Harvest entire, mature plants or pick the outer leaves first with sharp shears to extend your harvest.

Swiss Chard, Beta vulgaris

Pollination, wind; Life Cycle, biennial; Isolation Distance, 1 mile

Chard is a wind pollinated biennial, making it a challenge to grow to seed for beginners. Being wind pollinated, it needs a very long isolation distance, at least 1 mile away from other Beta vulgaris to prevent crossing; this includes Beets. Fall planting works best, and then mulch heavily to protect the roots through winter. The following spring the plant will set up its flower stalk and set seed, and the seed saver should allow the seeds to dry on the plant as much as possible, and then gather for dry harvesting.