Planting chard: location & procedure

Swiss chard is extremely healthy and is perfect for growing in home gardens. We show what you should consider when planting Swiss chard.

chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) is a popular vegetable that not only tastes good but also looks beautiful. Not much can go wrong when growing in your own garden – provided, of course, that you know what to look out for. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about growing leafy greens. Here you can find out when chard is grown, at which location it feels particularly comfortable, how chard should be planted and what is important when it comes to care.

Whether you choose to grow stem chard, where both the stems and leaves are consumed, or for Leaf chard, which provides leaves rich in vitamins - both should be seeded or planted professionally to grow and thrive well to be able to Luckily, growing Swiss chard is not difficult and always succeeds - whether in the garden bed or in a pot.

The right time to grow Swiss chard

Swiss chard can be sown directly into the bed. But if you want to give your plants a head start, you can also prefer Swiss chard. You start with this from mid-February to the end of July. The direct sowing of Swiss chard in the garden bed begins at the beginning of April for the stem chard and from May for the leaf chard. The problem with direct sowing in the bed, however, is that chard often begins to shoot if it is already sown in spring. Shooting means that the plant is starting to form inflorescences. To avoid bolting, it is better to sow hardy varieties in late fall and harvest in fall and winter. Chard can be sown in the garden bed until the beginning of September.

Tip: If you want to sow your chard in early April, you should initially protect it from the cold with fleece.

If you have preferred your chard or if you buy young plants, they can be planted in beds or pots from mid-April.

When is chard best grown?

• Bring forward from mid-February to the end of July.
• Direct sowing outdoors from the beginning of April to the beginning of September (stalk chard) and from May to the end of July (leaf chard).
• Planting (after four weeks of advance) from mid-April to the end of July.

Tip:Not all varieties are hardy, but chard only develops its flowers in the second year.

The perfect location for chard

Choosing the location is very easy, because the chard has few requirements. However, the planting should take place in a sunny, at best semi-shady place, because the vegetables do not do well in the shade. The existing soil should be able to store moisture well and be loose. Your chard will also be happy if the soil is as rich in structure as possible. A high humus content in the soil and sufficient nutrients are also important to him.

Tip:Swiss chard not only tastes good, it can also be grown as an ornamental plant. Its colorful stems and differently patterned leaves are a real feast for the eyes and are therefore also ideal for edging beds or for growing on the balcony.

Where is chard ideally grown?

• Sunny to semi-shady location
• Uniform humidity
• Loose, structured soil
• High humus and nutrient content

Tip: Quality plant neighbors for chard are all legumes like beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) or cabbage such as cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). However, it doesn't fit well at all spinach (Spinacia oleracea).

Here's how to go about growing chard

To grow Swiss chard, you have to decide whether you want to grow seedlings yourself, buy them, or sow the vegetables directly in the garden bed. Those who prefer chard have other advantages in addition to the lower risk of bolting: the chard ripens more quickly and larger plants are less likely to be attacked by snails.

prefer chard

For growing on the windowsill, you should use special growing soil and enrich it with a primarily organic fertilizer. Ours is very suitable Plantura organic universal fertilizer with long-term effect. The seeds are placed about two to three centimeters deep in the pots with potting soil, watered and then placed in the sun. The ideal germination temperature is between 18 and 20 °C. The seed should sprout within two weeks. As soon as the seedlings are about 8 centimeters long, they can be separated.

How is Swiss chard properly preferred?

• Prepare pots with potting soil
• Enrich the substrate with a predominantly organic fertilizer
• Sowing depth: 1 - 2 cm
• casting
• Put in a sunny spot
• Germination temperature: 18 - 20 °C
• Germination period: 14 days

Tip: Would you like more color? Our Plantura vegetable set contains, in addition to complete equipment for growing, seeds for colorful vegetables: chard, radishes, tomatoes, carrots and beets in all colors of the rainbow.

Plant chard or sow directly

For planting out in the garden and for direct sowing, first prepare the bed. Loosen it up well and remove weeds or stones. In order to give the chard enough nutrients and to improve the structure of the soil, you should also work compost or a mainly organic long-term fertilizer into the soil. Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is such a fertilizer and optimally supports your chard in its growth.

Now create rows at a distance of 30 to 40 centimeters. The seed is placed two to three centimeters deep and then watered. After they have opened, you should separate the little plants to the desired planting distance so that they have enough space to spread out. The air between the plants can also circulate in this way and fungal diseases can spread less easily. A row spacing of 30 to 40 centimeters also applies to planting. Now create planting holes with a distance of 30 centimeters. The plants are only planted as deep in the ground as they were in the pot. Finally, you should water everything well.

Plant chard - step-by-step instructions:

1. Loosen the bed and remove weeds
2. Enrich with compost or a primarily organic slow-release fertilizer
3. Make seed furrows 30 - 40 cm apart
4. Seed placement at a depth of 2 – 3 cm
5. Cover seeds with soil
6. Water well
7. Separate the plantlets after they emerge
8. Create planting holes for planting
9. Planting distance: 30 cm
10. Put the plants only as deep in the ground as they were in the pot
11. Water well

cultivate chard

In order to be able to grow magnificently, your Swiss chard needs good care. As an always hungry heavy feeder, regular fertilization is necessary. Suitable for this compost or a primarily organic long-term fertilizer like our Plantura Organic universal fertilizer. This releases the nutrients gently and slowly to the plants and provides them with all the important nutrients sustainably and over a longer period of time. Your chard should be fertilized every six to eight weeks.

Watering is also very important when caring for chard, because the plant has a high water requirement. So keep the soil evenly moist by watering regularly. But don't overdo it, because chard doesn't like waterlogging at all.

Summary Caring for chard after planting:

• Fertilize with compost or a primarily organic slow-release fertilizer
• Fertilize every 6-8 weeks
• Water regularly

Anyone who has done everything right during cultivation will be rewarded with a rich chard harvest. Like you at the Harvest of chard You can find out the best way to proceed in our special article.