Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard is an heirloom green chard variety that grows up to 24 inches tall. It produces large, broad, green crinkled leaves with bright white veins and broad white stems. The stems taste somewhat like celery, and the leaves are thick, fleshy, tender and juicy; similar to spinach. Swiss Chard is excellent steamed in soups, stir-fry, stews or chopped raw into salads.
Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard reaches full size in 55 to 60 days, but can also be harvested sooner for their baby leaves. It is tolerant of hot and cold climates with heavy yields all summer long, this Swiss Chard variety is easy to grow and great to have in the vegetable garden. This seed can also be used to grow microgreens!
NAME: Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla)
VARIETY: Fordhook Giant
DAYS TO MATURITY: 55 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual, or perennial depending on climate
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 11
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun / Partial Sun
SOIL: Fertile, loose soil with a pH 6.0 – 6.4
PLANT HEIGHT: 16 – 24 inches
TEMP: 40 – 85 °F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
It is not recommended to start swiss chard seeds indoors dur to its sensitive roots system that transplants poorly.
If you still choose to start your seeds indoors, plant the seeds in biodegradable pots filled with seed-starting mix, about 1/2 inch deep.
Keep the soil consistently moist and provide plenty of light, either by using grow lights or placing them in a sunny windowsill.
Transplant the seedlings outdoors once they have developed a few sets of true leaves and the soil has warmed up.
Direct sow seeds outdoors immediately after your last expected local spring frost.
Soaking the seed for 24 hours prior to planting shortens germination time.
Sow seeds in your pre-prepared bed, 1/2 inch deep and 3 inches apart in rows spaced 17 inches apart.
Keep the soil moist during germination, which should occur in 6 to 9 days; continue to keep seedlings well-watered once they emerge.
Keep in mind, each seed contains 1-4 possible seedlings.
When seedlings are 3 inches tall, thin to roughly 12 inches apart for larger plants, or 6 inches for smaller plants.
Once plants get to be 6 inches tall, mulch around the plant with compost or woodchips to manage weeds and keep soil moisture in.
To prepare your bed, choose an area that gets full sunlight throughout the day; remove rocks, weeds or debris and ensure the soil is loose and well-draining with a pH between 6.0 – 6.4.
Add 1 inch of compost to the top of your bed to boost fertility.
Stalk and leaf regeneration will occur if the plant does not bolt or get killed by the frost.
For continuous harvest, reseed more chard in other areas every two weeks.
Plant a spring and fall crop, rather than seeding in hot temperatures, which causes bolting.
Begin harvesting Fordhook Swiss Chard when the leaves are young and tender, typically when the plants are at least 8 inches in height.
Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the outer leaves at the base of the plant, allowing the inner leaves to continue growing.
Harvest regularly to encourage continuous production throughout the growing season.
Avoid harvesting more than one-third of the plant at a time to ensure its continued growth and productivity.
