One of the most easily grown leafy vegetables and with a decorative appearance, Swiss Chard should have a place in every garden.
How to grow
The seeds are big and can be sown directly outdoors in spring, spaced about 10 cm (four inches) apart. Soil type is not very important – the plants will grow in most soils except those that are very wet. They need watering in dry weather, a sunny spot and good drainage. Keep weeds away as the plants grow. As small plants they are vulnerable to slugs and snails but once that stage is past they can be left to themselves to grow into a leafy plants.
Once established, Swiss Chard grows into a large plant, sometimes up to several feet tall. It will tolerate lack of attention, and withstands low temperatures, remaining in your garden during winter even if temperatures occasionally drop below freezing point. Strictly speaking, the plant is not an annual, but a biennial. However, it has a tendency to bolt during summer, especially if the soil is allowed to dry out and temperatures are very hot.
Varieties
Swiss Chard belongs to the same plant group of plants as spinach and beets. Modern varieties are colourful and could even find a place in a flower garden. The stem of the common variety is flattened and white and leaves are dark green; others have red or yellow stems and leaf veins. You can eat all parts of the stem and leaf. The white stems are the most tender and the leaves are best eaten while still young. They have a slightly salty flavour.
Nutritional value
This vegetable is high in dietary fibre. It also contains plenty of Vitamins A, C, E and K, riboflavin and B6, as well as minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium and zinc (according to where it is grown) Ideal for dieters, it contains no saturated fat or cholesterol, although it does contain sodium.
How to use
The young leaves are delicious raw, in salads. You can strip the green leaves from their stems and use the stems alone, cooking them like asparagus and eating with a little melted butter. Or whole leaves can be used in soups, rice dishes, or otherwise treated like spinach, for which they are a good substitute.
Once picked, leaves should be used as soon as possible. They do not keep well, even in the fridge. They wilt, becoming limp and unattractive and losing their nutrient value more quickly than spinach. However, if you put the stems in a jar of water for a few hours they will keep fresh a little longer.
