How to Grow Swiss Chard: A Complete Guide
Swiss chard is an often overlooked (I’d never heard of it until I started gardening!) but incredibly rewarding vegetable to grow in your home garden. A member of the beet family, Swiss chard stands out for its nutrient-packed leaves, vibrant stems, and remarkable tolerance for both cold and heat. If you’re ready to enjoy abundant harvests for months, keep reading to learn how to grow Swiss chard successfully in almost any climate.
Article Outline:
- What Is Swiss Chard?
- Why Grow Swiss Chard?
- Choosing Varieties of Swiss Chard
- When & Where to Plant Swiss Chard
- How to Plant Swiss Chard
- Caring for Swiss Chard
- Harvesting Swiss Chard
- Key Takeaways
- Sources
What Is Swiss Chard?
Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) is a leafy green related to beets and spinach. Known for its broad, crinkly leaves and colorful stalks, Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, C, E, K, and minerals like magnesium, manganese, and iron. Unlike many other leafy greens, it’s not day-length sensitive, meaning it’s far less prone to bolting (going to seed) in hot weather. This makes Swiss chard a fantastic choice for home gardeners seeking a reliable and long-lasting green.

Why Grow Swiss Chard?
- Easy to Grow: Swiss chard is incredibly low-maintenance and tolerant of various conditions. Learn about cool season easy-to-grow crops in this guide and even more easy crops in this guide.
- Year-Round Harvests: In mild winter climates, you can harvest chard continuously. It can overwinter with some protection in colder climates and provide a second crop in spring.
- Nutrient-Packed: Its leaves are loaded with vitamins and minerals, making chard a true “superfood.”
- Heat & Cold Tolerance: Less sensitive to temperature fluctuations than spinach or lettuce, Swiss chard rarely bolts.
- Stunning Colors: Varieties like ‘Bright Lights’ add vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges to your garden (and plate).

Choosing Varieties of Swiss Chard
Contrary to popular belief, “Rainbow Chard” isn’t a single variety—it’s usually a mix of different colored chard cultivars. Here are a few favorites to try:
- Fordhook Giant: Classic variety with pale-green stems and large, dark green leaves. Tolerates both heat and cold. (~60 days to maturity) Get seeds here.
- Bright Lights: A blend of varieties boasting red, orange, yellow, pink, and white stalks. (~65 days to maturity) Get seeds here.
- Barese Swiss Chard: Grows quickly and can be harvested as baby leaves in about 30 days. Known for its sweeter, more tender leaves. Get seeds here.

When & Where to Plant Swiss Chard
Cold-Winter Climates
- Timing: Start sowing seeds or setting out transplants 2–3 weeks before the last spring frost date. You can continue planting until early or mid-summer.
- Overwintering: In regions where temperatures drop below 15°F (-9°C), protect plants with frost cloth or straw. You can also lift and transplant them into a greenhouse to keep them growing through winter.
Mild-Winter Climates
- Timing: Plant chard from fall through spring. For example, in areas like the low desert of Arizona, you can plant from mid-August through February.
- Overwintering: Swiss chard can often be harvested year-round, and a single plant may continue producing for a year or longer.

Site Selection
- Soil: Swiss chard thrives in well-drained, compost-rich soil.
- Sunlight: Aim for 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily, though partial shade (4–6 hours of sun) is also acceptable.
- Container Growing: If space is limited, grow chard in an 8-inch (20 cm) deep container holding about 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of soil. Place it on a sunny patio or deck. Learn more about gardening in containers here.
Vegetable, Herb, and Fruit Planting Guide for the Low Desert of Arizona

The ultimate resource for gardeners in arid regions with hot summers and mild winters—designed specifically for the low desert of Arizona.
It features information on how and when to start seeds indoors and when to transplant them outside for nearly 100 different fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
How to Plant Swiss Chard
Seed Starting
- Indoors: Sow seeds 3–4 weeks before your last frost date. Learn more about how to start seeds indoors in this guide.
- Outdoors: Direct-sow 2 weeks before the last frost date, once soil temperatures reach at least 50°F (10°C).

Sowing Depth & Spacing
- Plant seeds ½–1 inch (1–2.5 cm) deep.
- Space seeds or seedlings 2–6 inches (5–15 cm) apart initially, in rows 18–24 inches (45–60 cm) apart.
- Remember, Swiss chard seeds often come in clusters of multiple seeds. Once seedlings reach 3–4 inches (7–10 cm) tall, thin them so each plant has enough room (6–12 inches / 15–30 cm apart for full-size plants).

Transplanting
- If using nursery-grown transplants, choose young, healthy seedlings.
- Separate any clumped seedlings gently.
- Plant them at the same depth as in their pots, spacing them 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) apart. Learn more about how to plant transplants in this guide.
Caring for Swiss Chard
- Watering: Keep soil evenly moist, especially as plants become established. Though chard tolerates some dryness, consistent watering encourages tender, flavorful leaves.
- Fertilizing: If your soil is rich in organic matter, extra fertilization may be minimal. A light side-dressing of compost or balanced fertilizer mid-season can boost growth.
- Weeding & Mulching: Keep weeds down to reduce competition. Mulching around plants helps retain moisture and keep soil temperatures stable. See what to use for mulch here.
- Pest Management: Swiss chard is largely pest-free. Occasionally, you may spot cabbage worms or leaf miners. Check leaf undersides for pests and use row covers if infestations become severe. Get more cabbage worm prevention tips here.
- Disease Prevention: Good air circulation and proper spacing go a long way toward preventing fungal issues. Learn more about preventing and treating powdery mildew in this guide.

Harvesting Swiss Chard
- Cut & Come Again: Once plants reach 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) tall, you can begin harvesting the outer leaves. Use clean scissors to cut leaves 1½–2 inches (4–5 cm) above the ground, being careful not to damage the plant’s center.
- Frequency: In warm climates, chard can be harvested continuously as new leaves form. In colder climates, harvest before severe frost unless you’re protecting plants with row covers or mulch.
- Overwintering: Swiss chard is a biennial, meaning it can survive a mild winter and produce new leaves the following spring. Eventually, it will bolt and go to seed, usually in its second growing season.

Using & Storing Your Swiss Chard
After learning how to grow Swiss chard, don’t let those beautiful leaves go to waste. Here are some suggestions:
- Salads & Sautés: Use young, tender leaves raw in salads or wilt them as you would spinach.
- Soups & Stews: Chop the leaves (and stems, if you like) to add color and nutrition to soups or stews.
- Freezing: Blanch stems and leaves briefly in boiling water, then cool and pack in freezer-safe containers.
- Dehydrating or Freeze-Drying: Dry the leaves and grind them into a green powder to add a nutritional boost to smoothies, sauces, or soups. Learn how to use leaves to make green powder in this guide.
- Smoothies & Juices: Throw fresh leaves into your blender instead of spinach or kale.
For more ideas see my list of the 7 Best Recipes for Swiss Chard.

Key Takeaways
- Start Early: Sow or transplant Swiss chard a couple of weeks before your last frost date.
- Give It Space: Thin seedlings for best growth, aiming for about 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) between mature plants.
- Harvest Often: Chard’s “cut and come again” nature means you can keep harvesting for months.
- Stay Versatile: Use it fresh, cook it, freeze it, or dehydrate it—Swiss chard fits easily into many dishes.
- Overwinter If Possible: Protect your plants in colder regions or move them to a greenhouse for a second-season crop.
Swiss chard is a standout performer. It offers gorgeous color, high nutritional value, and a nearly endless harvest window. With these tips on how to grow Swiss chard, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying one of the easiest and most productive greens in your garden year-round.
Sources:
- WebMD. Swiss Chard: 9 Healthy Facts You Need to Know. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/swiss-chard-9-healthy-facts (Accessed January 2025).
- Healthline. Swiss Chard: Nutrition, Benefits, and How to Cook It. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/swiss-chard (Accessed January 2025).
I am new to Arizona and I just found your website. My husband and I purchased our first home in Sierra Vista, however, I am limited to space. The only true space we found is dead center of our back yard. We are unable to use the front or sides of our home because we live in a homeowners association community. Also, my husband built me 2 (2×4) garden beds 6″ deep. I noticed that my chard wilts a lot and my vegetables leaves are turning yellow. Help as this is the first time I am attempting to grow our own vegetables.
Focus on the basics: Soil, watering, planting at the right time, etc. It can take a while to figure things out. Experience is the best teacher. You may need to provide some shade in the summer. This post may be helpful: https://growinginthegarden.com/gardening-for-beginners-how-to-start-a-garden-in-8-simple-steps/