Chard Seed Starting Tips

Chard Sowing and Planting Tips Seed germinates in 5 to 7 days at or near 60°F to 65°F (16-18°C)—but sometimes seed can take up to 3 weeks to germinate if the soil is cold. Germination will not occur in soil chillier than 50°F (10°C). Keep the soil evenly moist until seeds germinate. Sow seed ⅓ to ½ inch (13mm) deep.

Should I soak Swiss chard seeds before planting?
How do you germinate Swiss chard seeds?
How do you start a chard plant?
How long do chard seeds take to germinate?
How long should I soak Swiss chard seeds?
Can you use egg cartons to start seeds?
Does Swiss chard need full sun?
How many chard seeds are in a hole?
Does Swiss chard grow back every year?
Is chard annual or perennial?
Is chard easy to grow?
Can you eat chard with powdery mildew?

Should I soak Swiss chard seeds before planting?

Growing Swiss chard from seed is very easy and germination rates are usually fairly high. You can get your seeds to perform even better, however, by soaking them in water for 15 minutes immediately before sowing. Plant your Swiss chard seeds at a depth of ½ inch (1.3 cm) in rich, loosened, moist soil.

How do you germinate Swiss chard seeds?

How to Plant Swiss Chard

To speed up germination, soak seeds in water for 24 hours before planting.
Sow the seeds ½ to 1 inch deep, spacing them 2 to 6 inches apart in rows.
Space rows about 18 inches apart.

How do you start a chard plant?

Start planting about 2 to 3 weeks before last expected frost. Sow seeds ½ to 1 inch deep, 2 to 6 inches apart, in rows 18 to 24 apart. Like beets, chard “seeds” produce more than one plant, and so will require thinning. Thin to 6- to 12-inch spacings.

How long do chard seeds take to germinate?

Swiss Chard seed germinates in a soil temperature as low as 10°C / 50°F and up to 27°C / 80°F with an ideal temperature of around 18°C / 65°F. The time for seeds to germinate is 7 days plus or minus a few days depending on the temperature. Seed should be sown about 2cm / ¾in deep with each seed about 10cm / 4in apart.

How long should I soak Swiss chard seeds?

Soak Swiss chard seeds in warm water for 15 minutes to speed up germination before planting.

Can you use egg cartons to start seeds?

You can use egg cartons as a seed-starting tray! Depending on the type of carton you have, you can even cut apart the individual sections and plant them, as the carton will biodegrade. Be sure to poke small holes for drainage, and put the cartons on a tray or in a shallow pan to catch any residual water.

Does Swiss chard need full sun?

Swiss chard prefers rich, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. In the North, sow from early spring to midsummer for a fall crop; in the South sow in fall to spring. Sow the seeds 1/2 inch deep in rows spaced 18 inches apart.

How many chard seeds are in a hole?

Learning how to grow Swiss chard in the garden is easy and the plant thrives when given suitable conditions. Chard likes an area with full sun to partial shade. Your soil should be loose enough to drain well. Make a row in the soil and plant your seeds about a half inch or so deep, with eight to ten seeds per foot.

Does Swiss chard grow back every year?

Chard is a biennial plant, meaning it has a two year life cycle, but it is cultivated as an annual in the vegetable garden and harvested in its first season of growth. Once it begins to flower and set seed in its second year, its leaves turn bitter and unpalatable.

Is chard annual or perennial?

Swiss chard is an annual leafy crop and the leaves and petioles (leaf stalks) may be eaten. Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable and the leaves are poisonous; we only eat the petioles.

Is chard easy to grow?

Chard, or leaf beet, is an attractive vegetable, with leaf stalks in an array of bright colours. It's similar to spinach, but easier to grow as it's less likely to go to seed in dry weather and one sowing produces a crop that lasts many months.

Can you eat chard with powdery mildew?

Soaking leaves in hydrogen peroxide will kill powdery mildew. However, I would not recommend eating leaves with powdery mildew on them. Powdery mildew is not toxic to humans, but fungi cause allergic reactions in some people.