How to grow swiss chard
Unlike lettuce, chard shrugs off summer heat. Cut outer stalks and it keeps going.
Rotation and family
Swiss chard belongs to the salad & greens (Asteraceae / Amaranthaceae). Quick crops that fill gaps between slower ones.
In a four-bed crop rotation it goes in the leaf & brassica bed. Avoid growing it where any salad & greens grew in the last three years.
When to plant swiss chard by zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow / plant out |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Apr 22 – May 6 | May 6 – May 27 |
| 4 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Apr 28 – May 19 |
| 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Apr 16 – May 7 |
| 6 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 |
| 7 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 |
| 8 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 |
| 9 | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 8 – Mar 1 |
| 10 | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 |
Based on typical frost dates for each zone; b half-zones run about a week earlier in spring. Zones 11–13 are frost-free in most years.
Swiss chard questions
When should I plant swiss chard?
Plant swiss chard outdoors 2 weeks before your last spring frost. Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before your last frost.
How far apart should I plant swiss chard?
About 6 inches apart, or 4 per square foot in a square foot garden.
What grows well with swiss chard?
Traditional companions include broccoli, bush bean, cabbage, onion.
How long does swiss chard take to grow?
Typically 50–60 days from sowing to first harvest, depending on variety and weather.