Growing Swiss Chard

There are a few vegetables that happily sit in the ground through winter here in Ireland. Swiss chard is one of them. Swiss chard and kale are two of my outdoor staples for winter vegetables. I also grow both in the polytunnel, mine are currently in pots waiting to be planted after the beds are cleared. Both swiss chard and kale are one some of the more beautiful to look at plants in the winter garden, they provide colour and texture as well as nutrition! Frost is said to improve the taste of kale. Swiss chard is not a fan of frost like kale but I’ve found it recovers easily here but do cover it if frost is expected with a cloth or cloche.

My chard has been planted a couple of months but Sarah Raven did mention on her newest podcast episode, that it might be worth it even at this late stage, to give them a try from seed. I have planted them late in the past and found that they really take off in Spring. They would be worth growing for that hungry gap in early summer maybe? You’ll probably find they really take off in early Spring rather than November.

As you can see they are beautiful plants to look at, sometimes the colours are so vibrant they don’t seem real! The baby leaves can be eaten raw but I tend to cook it when its more mature. The main thing to remember about cooking swiss chard is that the stalks take longer to cook then the leaves. So you need to cut the leaves off and cook them a couple of minutes after the stalks.

An easy recipe for sauteed Swiss Chard can be found here. I am going to try this one! I often add it at the last few minutes to stews or one pot type winter meals.

Apart from its beauty in the garden, the ease of growing it in Ireland, it also has many health benefits. Its packed with vitamins especially Vitamin K and boasts many healthy side effects, some websites list up to twenty benefits but caution not to over eat. I find the taste a little bitter but I would hope to add it a couple of meals a week this winter. It is suggested by growers that the bitterness is reduced by consistent watering but I not tested this myself.

I hope you are encouraged to try growing swiss chard. It is one of the most ornamental vegetables in the garden, its packed with health benefits and it’s easy to grow!

Happy sowing

Maria

Where to buy your seeds in Ireland:

1) Irish Seed savers have a great selection of chard seeds Irish seed savers

2) Fruit Hill Farm have organic seeds Fruit Hill Farm Seeds