Rainbow (Five Color Silverbeet) Swiss Chard

Beta vulgaris – Rainbow (Five Color Silverbeet) Swiss Chard

60 days. Originally from Australia, a multicolored rainbow of plants in shades of red, orange, pink, yellow, and creamy white.

Leaf stems are edible as well as leaves. A few plants of Swiss chard will provide a large supply of greens throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Mulching around plants may help plants over winter in areas with mild winters. Planted from early to late spring, or again in the fall.

How to Grow: Sow seeds 1/2 to 3/4 in. deep and thin to 12-16 in. apart.

Harvest: Clip off leaves near the base of the plant.

Cooking: Excellent when stir-fried, or used in creamed soups or quiche. Freezes well.

Greenhouse Notes: Swiss chard is an ideal plant for solar greenhouses, where it may be grown as a perennial.

Pests: In the Southeast, blister beetles may attack chard in mid-summer. Pick off beetles (wear gloves!), or pull up plants and wait to replant for fall.

Seed Savers: Isolate varieties by a minimum of 1/4 mile for home use. For pure seed isolate by 1/2 to 1 mile. Will cross readily with beets.

Packet: 4 g (approximately 200 seeds) sows 25’.