How to Grow Swiss Chard in Abundance

Swiss chard - Perpetual spinach - Rainbow chard is a fantastic vegetable to grow. It has both ornamental and nutritional qualities as well as being fairly hardy, and if protected over winter can be a vital source of fresh veg during the hungry gap. Expand for more...
Music by Darren J Claxton:
www.youtube/us...
/ darrenjclaxton
New to HuwsNursery? :)
My name is Huw Richards, I live in Wales, UK and I am a teenager who loves vegetable gardening. Unusual right? I love to teach people around the world about growing their own food organically and my end goal is to get as many children as possible to have the experience of growing food which I believe is one of the most important things a child could learn. If you're new to HuwsNursery then please hit that subscribe button (and also notifications) so you can learn more about growing your own food inexpensively :)
Instagram: huws_nursery
Let's chat on Snapchat: huwsnursery
Facebook page: / huwsgardennursery
Subscribe to our newsletter with updates and exclusive content:
huwsnursery.com...

[@bhuld0115]

Cook the stems, too! Use in soup if you don't like them in a straight chard dish. Dice them or cut into chunks.

[@patriciavincent5076]

Love Swiss Chard, especially the stems!

[@obviouslytwo4u]

You can eat the leaf and stem the leaf make a good spinach substitute while the stem can be used in soup salads or just on its own.

[@williammcduff6531]

Great video we've been growing swiss chard for many years. In our area we have a serious problem with leaf miners damaging the plants. This year we bought some floating row covers to protect the plants from the moths who lay their eggs and so far it's working like a charm.

[@DarrenClaxton]

Brilliant Huw! thanks for using my music on this video! It fits in beautifully!

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much Darren, look forward to using more of your great music :)

[@obviouslytwo4u]

For better plant production add in some ericaceous soil( swiss chard like a low pH soil -5.5pm) and remember you can eat the stem and leaf. the leaf makes a good spinach substitute. If it is your first time ever trying swiss chard then grow the white variety as they have a much more dedicated flavour.

[@stephaniecarter4563]

Thank you so much for this video. I have gut issues, gluten and dairy. I’ve been limited to what I can eat so growing my own vegetables is a must. This will be my first time growing chard, any help out there is SO appropriated. Thanks again..😊

[@vutEwa]

Eat the stems! Wow. Don't toss them away. They are fantastic!

[@princessmiracle1988]

Really?

[@miriammiriamxoxo]

The stems are the best!! ❤️

[@novahina]

I eat everything,even the roots.Lol

[@ohio_gardener]

Cook the stems like you would asparagus. They taste great!

[@RafsKitchenGardenChannel]

Hi, great information on Chard growing I haven't tried growing it yet but I love how it looks with yellow and red colored stems, do you have any favourite recipes with chard ? Raf

[@JidapaGarden]

คนปลูกหล่อมาก ผักก็งามค่ะ😁😍

[@Katya-zj7ni]

Growing mine hydroponically in my bedroom under lights, it’s looking great but only about 6” tall and though lush the stems are still very slim and tender looking. How long before I can get big strong leaves, it’s been in the tank about 4 weeks now? Thanks .

[@SoothingLeaf]

Great video so well done! Happy found your channel

[@lovesdiy5660]

It bolted the next season. Seeds galore.

[@denisedaly2307]

Also, I am definitely going to give the swiss chard a go this spring also. Thanks for the idea :)

[@HuwRichards]

Good luck Denise and thank you for watching :)

[@rickbsu]

Thanks for posting. This is my first year to grow swiss chard and it's doing great!

[@benita712]

I planted rainbow chard or silverbeet from seedlings, I bought in a nursery garden. It’s growing alright but it’s taking so long to get bigger. My question is, what fertiliser you give to your chard... they’re huge? Thank you Cheers. 🤗

[@Gardening4Gains]

Love the video, thanks for all the info! How long into the season are you able to harvest from the plants?

[@mikeharrington5593]

Got me thinking about the varieties of perpetual spinach & chard which ( in attempting to flower & seed) grow to 5 ft plus. This surplus vegetation should be rich in minerals (like comfrey) for chop and drop on, say, the potato patch etc ?

[@bryanjames5256]

Good deal. I got one plant growing, and I've barely done anything and it's grown to absolutely massive proportions. But it does seem like the bugs like it. Im gonna keep it and try different varieties as well wait for it to seed.

[@denisedaly2307]

Thanks for great video. I've had great success over the years with lots of fruit and veg indoors and outdoors to different degrees. The only thing I am struggling with for the last two years is asparagus. I have a few weak plants that are just coming up to their first year since seed. I'm thinking the soil in their current location isn't drained enough and maybe they don't like the amount of water in the soil. I'm not sure but I'll see how they mange this spring/summer. Keep up the videos!

[@HuwRichards]

I wish I could help but I have never grown asparagus before, definitely something I am looking to try :) Thank you for watching!

[@jcking6785]

Any chance you demonstrate how you prepare your favorite veg, Swiss chard?

[@lorraineg8134]

Thanks for the info, my first year growing chard this year, so a very handy video.

[@pauladematas3297]

Can Swiss Chard grow in a tropical climate.

[@seaglass8940]

I'm growing them in Las Vegas in containers , I'm sure it'll grow great in tropics. I keep them under a canopy so they don't burn up.

[@mikesperanza6794]

Hi! I would love to grow swiss chard in my gas garden, but I've never eaten it. Can you do a video on how to prepare it? Thank you,!

[@HuwRichards]

Hi Mike :) I will try and add it into another video

[@grahamthomas5226]

another fine video and info GT video you are very good at growing and given clear tips thanks for your time 🐤🐦🐝🐞👍👍👍

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you very much Graham! :)

[@jtrose6995]

My mom used to cook chard up with some delicious hillshire farms polska kielbasa....so good!

[@melovescoffee]

I'm growing the white one after taste testing the rainbow. I don't know if i like the soapy mouthfeel when eaten raw or loathe it. I will try cooking with it instead. It is somehow my favorite garden nibble. It's funky. Chew chew, foam foam. :D

[@HuwRichards]

melovescoffee Hi! Yes it's much better eaten cooked ;) But yes I know what you mean haha!

[@melovescoffee]

:D

[@silvertopaz72]

Awesome video my friend, so much great information. Thank you so much, growing my own food is fun and save money.

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you very much for your comment :)

[@novahina]

I am growing rainbow swisschard next time I plant new vegetables from seed ! My seeds might arrive soon enough in time.😍Thank you

[@ProtruckR]

I want to thank you for explaining what the hell that was. ( Reason I am saying thank you ) My mom grows things in the garden Nothing at all wrong with this. The problem is my mom has Bad habits watching youtube then Growing a Crazy ass looking plants then she Feeds me bunch Crap how it's good for the body. If you were me you would question everything. Mom god bless her grew some Green then served it up with more garlic flax oil and to me I truly thought it was spinich. .. Boy it was realy Good. 1 hr passed and Guess what happened to me. Keep in mind I went back for seconds and bit more. Then Boom I am so Body stoned it took 3 days to get it out my system. Gee mom next time don't cook up so dam much the first day I had a argument with my Big Toe it pissed me off. So I took my toe and Rammed it into a fresh Dog Turd this went on for 20 min I kept that Mouth Peace big Toe In that Dog Turd yelling give up give up. Who's your Daddy. AS alarming as that looked it was Not till I took the Hammer And Showed my Big Toe who was Boss who's your Daddy Beoch. You know something you have no a idea Truly How strong you realy Are until you Bight your own Balls. Har Har Har !!!! I have not been invited back for Greens. Ooooo well that's what happens when you eat 3 cups Greens I am sure by now u know it was pot. The toe healed well my Nut well I will walk again as soon as the watermelon Size my nut shrinks back to its Pre Teathing state. Rock on world !!!!

[@crochethappy1885]

Hi, garden friends

[@thenumber1Doc]

I am a complete beginner gardener in canada. This will be my second season coming up. I am grateful for ur channel it is helping me alol

[@HuwRichards]

Great to hear you are about to start your second season! Thank you very much and best of luck.

[@FoodForThought.]

Love your videos. I haven't tried Swiss Chard before. My question is, do you eat the leaf, stalk or both? Eddie

[@ChristopherEPineda]

Swiss chard is one of my favorites! But I do have trouble growing it. Thanks for the tips, I'll be sure to try. Great video!

[@HuwRichards]

I hope you have better luck this growing season Christopher :)

[@smb123211]

Warning: For anyone using seeds, a Swiss Chard seed is not "a seed" but a group of tiny seeds. You can sow 100 seeds and easily get 200 plants. We use it for food but also ornamentation in the landscaping

[@brooklyngiraffe]

Thank you so much for the helpful information! I really appreciate your advice about experimenting and enjoying the freedom of being creative in your garden. Thank you!

[@mapofthesoultagme7143]

How big should a container be if I'm growing one in a pot? Also, how many days between each watering?

[@kimzachris5340]

You can fit three in a 30 cm diameter pot (10-12 litres/3 gallons), if you use good soil and a good regular fertiliser. If you’d rather grow one plant per pot you can either grow just one in that size pot and get a sturdier plant, or use a 5 litre/1.5 gallon pot. Watering depends a lot on the weather, size of pot, how shaded it sits, soil quality, mulch and so on. I usually water mine about twice a week unless it’s really hot, but I live in a very cool climate near the coast, so that might not work for you. Generally: Don’t water if the soil is still wet or damp. Check every other to third day in cool weather, every day if it is hot. If the soil seems dry on the surface, put a finger about two inches into the soil. If you can feel only a very little or no moisture, water. When you water, give it enough water that it just about starts coming out the drainage holes of the pot, that way you know the water has gone through all the soil, and is not just dampening the surface. If you live in a cool or damp climate and the soil doesn’t dry out for a week or even weeks, keep off watering it until it is only about as damp as a well wrung out sponge, then give it water only very sparingly to keep it like that. After a while you might get a sense of how much to water it for the weather and only need to do the finger check once in a while to doublecheck that it is not getting too wet or too dry.

[@annaloph]

We don't have Swiss chard/Rainbow chard seeds here in the Philippines 😞🌱😔

[@freekuki]

I love your cottage and veg garden, where exactly are you in the UK? Greets from Yorkshire

[@50hellkat2]

Stems have a very strong taste to them. Is this normal?

[@weaverallotmentweaver9710]

Hi subscribe to your channel I got my first allotment last December

[@skiaddict08]

This was made at just the right time. Keep the vids coming bro! You have a way of inspiring me to really get growing, and start a nursery even. two thumbs up homie

[@abideenturky]

Questions 1. how do you know if a particular plant need acidic soil ? Q 2. can a plant survive through winter , buried under mulch ? Q 3. If soil need fertilizer, why do the home sprouts grow in pure water ? (Sarcasm?, not at all, I have experment,but found different results ,may be confounding factors?)

[@Direblade11]

This is an answer for question 2: hardy plants (like grass) can survive through winter but they need something to act as an insulator (the snow in this case) so they don't die of cold. If you have a mulch that is wind resistant it should work though burying the plant early might lead to problems I know nothing about. I only know about insulation because I live in Canada but I've also never tried using mulch as an insulator. Even in Canada the soil contains all the heat a hardy plant needs to survive as long as it has snow on it so unless there are some adverse effects due to the mulch covering the plant there isn't any reason it shouldn't work.

[@abideenturky]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Greatly appreciated, sir.

[@HuwRichards]

Hi Abideen, most organic vegetable gardening books will tell you. And yes a plant can survive through winter but basically the less hardy the plant, the more mulch you will need and the less practical it will become. Because that contain starch within them which is converted to sugar allowing them to grow.

[@abideenturky]

Thanks for sharing, I buried my plants every year, they ever survived, However, seeds thrived, specially, if there was good snow fall, Which prevents ground freeze.

[@viperh9948]

Huw, Love the shows. And love the great information you share! Thank you !

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much! :)

[@allotmental.]

Great vid. I will try again this year as the slugs tend to like eating mine!

[@robinlanter4287]

I have a small packet of Ruby Red Swiss Chard and I have no idea how or when to try to grow it as the packet came with no instructions. I live on 10 acres in Tonopah, Arizona USA and have a problem with wild rabbits and ground squirrels on my property so have to build raised beds to grow anything. Thanks for the video but Arizona is so hot in the summer months so I assume that I should plant them in early spring but do you know if it can grow in fall months?

[@mikewiskirchen8530]

I know it's a bit late but right now is the time to plant in your area. The University of Arizona has a free downloadable planting guide for Maricopa County.

[@hawj-office.36]

Love your chennel ❤️

[@carjo8914]

Is swiss chard good to plant on fall season in Florida? Can it stand hot weather?

[@porter2k7]

Swiss Chard arrived today ! All thanks to you Huw, great book :)

[@azofa2012]

Thanks ., great video.. I got 2 of them in my garden !!!!

[@merychippus]

Does the yellow Swiss chars taste different to the red color one?

[@kensimmons9960]

Slugs always feast on my chard. The more I mulch, the worse the problem. My Swiss Chard looks like Swiss cheese!

[@HuwRichards]

Oh dear Swiss Cheese is not good! Try put out some beer slug traps this growing season, very effective!

[@loligarcia8817]

I find it really hard to grow good chards as the area where I live is very hot in the summer and summers are long. Although I water well they get scorched and do not grow green and lush. Next season I will try the straw method and see how it goes. I will let you know. Loli from Spain Thanks

[@seaglass8940]

I grow them in the Desert of Southwest USA, it's important that you provide a shade canopy over them or they will wilt and burn up. Keep the ground slightly damp.

[@VaveeDances]

Hi Huw. I have not tried growing chard yet but I have some seeds. How do you and your family prefer to prepare them for eating?

[@HuwRichards]

Hi Val! We usually just steam/lightly boil them and have them with butter, but the stems work really well in a stir fry!

[@jodi578]

I will be trying this in my garden plans this year - Thank you for an excellent video.

[@Tesakeks]

very nice video! :) it looks so easy to grow, don't you ever have problems like the other people here in the comments do? ;)

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you! :) No we haven't actually ;)

[@aaipappa5912]

What kind of weather need to grow Swiss chard ?

[@dallasjansen2226]

It looks so easy. My seedlings are falling over and dying

[@rosewood513]

Beautiful chard. Love your videos. thank you.

[@jele38]

I think everything I touch dies when it comes to this plant

[@romanelli9999]

Some years leaf miner can be a big problem. Did I see leaf miner damage on your plants?

[@bethanysworld6789]

Peter M here too. I can't even plant this crop because of them.

[@romanelli9999]

I've had better success sowing the seeds mid to late summer. The flies seem to be less of a problem. Floating row covers can be a big help.

[@bethanysworld6789]

Thank you

[@HuwRichards]

Hi Peter, I don't think we have at leaf miner problems, at least nothing substantial :)

[@theuglykwan]

I went out daily with the scotch tape to catch the eggs under the leafs which drove me insane. And in Scotland they didn't actually even grow that well. I had some in the conservatory which grew much better though. I will probably only grow some indoors in future.

[@mikesperanza6794]

why is there so much stone in your raised beds?

[@meehan302]

Thanks for another great informational video Huw

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you so much Patrick!

[@atripa645]

I'm groing prepetual spinach chard this year.

[@HuwRichards]

Good luck!

[@jjalbinger]

Great video

[@shawnavery5644]

I love your channel Hugh

[@polskipartaczwjukej6066]

Looks like mangold 🤔

[@cathybaby4607]

Love swiss chard mine got ate by worms

[@HuwRichards]

Let's hope they don't next year!

[@memberson]

I like this guy he is really good and very knowledgeable but he is very long-winded. He should just get right to it and show you as it going along but to talk for that long period of time and then go to it it just wears your audience out. Keep up the good work you're not standing Gardner

[@wonderwoman5528]

I don’t think so :)

[@joemcmillan4660]

Great video 👌🏼

[@Jeff-vj7zn]

Good job

[@Direblade11]

I'm fine with doing the research myself but I think you should talk more specifically about temperatures and hours of light needed so people can know what to do regardless of where they are and how they're growing. For example: I live in Canada where it is in the -10s at best in winter during the day so I'm pretty sure it isn't a good idea to plant anything outside during autumn.

[@HuwRichards]

Agreed!

[@HAPPY_PEOPLE]

лайк

[@PlottingAlong]

growing this on my plot

[@HuwRichards]

Awesome!

[@SandyzSerious]

Thank you so much.

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you for watching :)

[@itzdani3206]

Enjoyed This :)

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you Dani :)

[@DaybirdAviaries]

I need to plant more now.

[@HuwRichards]

Yes you do ;)

[@DaybirdAviaries]

I bought seeds today. Be happy! LOL

[@ladonnad.steele2470]

nice!!!

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you!