Welcome to our section on tips for growing Chard.

Here we will give you advice, tips and guidance on sowing, growing and harvesting Chard in the Uk and the rest of the world.

Chard is very similar to the spinach family but a lot more easier to grow. The chard will not go to seed as easy as spinach and one sowing will produce a great crop of chard for you and the family.

Sowing and Planting Chard

The leaves of chard can be picked all the way through summer and autumn or even longer if the plants are protected in either a cloche or polytunnel. When choosing your ground for chard it likes to be grown in a sunny position but can cope in a bit of shade. The soil for chard will need to be well prepared and hold onto moisture well

When to plant Chard

Chard seeds can be sown from spring right the way through to midsummer.

Varieties of Chard

There is actually many varieties of chard to choose from when growing it. The varieties of chard are:-

• Bright yellow
• Charlotte
• Rainbow
• Rhubarb Chard

Which variety of chard will you choose?

Planting Chard

Chard seeds can actually be planted outdoors directly into the soil. The chard seeds need to be planted thinly apart around 3 cm deep and 12 cm apart. When the chard plants get big enough to handle you can thin the chard plants out further to 30cm apart.

Growing Chard

When growing chard it needs to be preferbly in a sunny position that holds onto the moisture well. You only need to water the plants every 14 days in dry periods.

The soil needs to be kept weed free for the chard to crop well. Feed the chard plants every two weeks with a liquid high nitrogen feed.

Harvesting Chard

it does not take long for the chard to grow from sowing the seeds. It takes around 12 weeks to be harvesting chard from your allotment or garden. To harvest pull off the outside leafs as and when needed.