Harvesting Swiss Chard

[Mackay]

I have about 6 plants of swiss chard. I got the seeds from a seed library and I am suppose to let some go to seed and send them back.

Its a red chard. Can I harvest just a few stalks/leaves from each plant and expect more to grow so I can harvest more later? should I cut the whole plant down? After it goes to seed is it still good to eat/tender/tasty?

If I harvest just a few stalks from each plant will it still go to seed?

thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just harvest a few leaves from each plant. It should keep growing new leaves.

When it starts to go to seed, I cut that off. It extends the life of the plant. All you need to do for the seeds is let one go to seed. Then you can repay the seed library.

 

[lesa]

Yup, as Ridgerunner says, it is the plant that keeps on giving. You can cut leaves until well after the first frost... I have only had mine go to seed once, in all the years I have been growing it- hopefully this will not be the case for yours, and you will get some seeds. Happy Gardening! (Nothing tastier than a swiss chard quiche.)

 

[hoodat]

Point of interest; Swiss chard was developed from beets. It is basically a beet without the root so it can put more energy into the leaves. Anything you can do with Swiss chard you can do with beet greens except that you cannot harvest beet greens heavily without sacrificing the root.

 

[lesa]

That is so obvious in the garden, Hoodat! Since I always forget to label my planted rows- it takes quite awhile to figure out which are beets, and which are Swiss Chard! This year I planted some golden beets- those greens look exactly like Swiss Chard! Oh well, I always a little mystery!

 

[Mackay]

Thank so much guys. I just ran in from harvesting greens to see what you have to say... its good news that chard will replenish itself! My 6 plants will go much further than I expected. I will be selling it tomorrow (hopelfully) at the farmer's market.