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VegetablesHardyBiennial
Chard
Chard is a long-cropping leafy beet grown for broad tender leaves and, in many varieties, brightly coloured stems. It bridges the gap between summer and winter cropping very effectively, often continuing to produce after repeated cutting.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Biennial
Hardiness
Hardy
Planting partners
2 companions · 0 crops to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
75 days
Germination window
7–14 days
Germination temperature
10–24 °C
Plant spacing
30 cm
Row spacing
45 cm
Sowing depth
2 cm
Height
60 cm
Spread
30 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Care tips
Harvest outer leaves continuously and leave the centre intact so fresh growth keeps rising. Water during prolonged dry spells, feed after heavy cropping if growth slows, and protect overwintered plants in colder gardens if severe frost is expected.
Common pests
Leaf miner, slugs, aphids, mildew.
Companions
Don’t grow with
No crops to avoid have been added yet.