Types Of Swiss Chard Tips For Choosing The Best Swiss Chard Variety

What is the best type of Swiss chard?
How do you pick swiss chard?
How many types of chard are there?
What is the best tasting chard?
What is similar to Swiss chard?
Can you eat the stems of Swiss chard?
Can I freeze Swiss chard without blanching?
Will Swiss chard grow back after cutting?
Is Swiss chard a Superfood?
Can Swiss chard get too big?
What can I do with a lot of Swiss chard?

What is the best type of Swiss chard?

Probably the best Swiss chard in overall quality is white-stemmed 'Monstruoso', with broad, tender stalks. 'Large White Ribbed' is more productive but not quite as tender. Both are less likely than red-stemmed varieties to bolt (go to seed) after cold snaps and in dry weather.

How do you pick swiss chard?

The most common method for how to pick chard is to cut off the outer leaves 1 ½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm.) above the ground while they are young and tender (about 8 to 12 inches (20.5 to 30.5 cm.) long). Older leaves are often stripped off the plants and discarded to allow the young leaves to continue to grow.

How many types of chard are there?

12 Varieties of Swiss Chard. When most gardeners think of Swiss Chard, also called Silverbeet among other common names, they think of 2 varieties: The everyday Swiss Chard, white stems with green leaves, and the Bright or Neon Lights which boasts a variety of colors.

What is the best tasting chard?

Our Top Picks

Barese. This white-stemmed heirloom variety is a dwarf type, only reaching about 9 inches tall at maturity. ...
Bright Lights. Colorful 'Bright Lights' produces stems in yellow, orange, gold, pink, red, white, and striped. ...
Fordhook Giant. ...
Large White Ribbed. ...
Lucullus. ...
Magenta Sunset. ...
Orange Fantasia. ...
Peppermint.

What is similar to Swiss chard?

If you need a substitute for Swiss chard there are some very suitable alternatives: Use equal amounts of:

Mature spinach.
OR - Mustard greens.
OR - Cavalo Nero (Black Tuscan) kale, longer cooking time.
OR - Large bok choy.

Can you eat the stems of Swiss chard?

Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. ... The stalks are thicker than the leaves so they take longer to cook. Chop the stalks into 1 inch pieces. Sauté, steam or cook the stalks in a pan with water (1/2 cup per bunch) first, then add the leaves and cook until wilted.

Can I freeze Swiss chard without blanching?

Swiss chard will technically freeze just as easily without blanching, but the end result won't be as good. There is another way that blanching will help! ... Blanching doesn't take too long, but make sure you have your bowl of ice all set up so you can put the chard in the ice as soon as it's done in the hot water.

Will Swiss chard grow back after cutting?

Chard is best treated as a “cut-and-come-again” crop. This harvesting technique involves taking only a few older leaves at a time from each plant, allowing younger leaves to continue growing for additional harvests later in the season.

Is Swiss chard a Superfood?

Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse -- an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber.

Can Swiss chard get too big?

If you water them enough, Swiss chard can grow up to be two feet tall! If you harvest them when the leaves are smaller, they will keep producing more leaves like cut-and-come again salad greens.

What can I do with a lot of Swiss chard?

Like cabbage, chard can be parboiled, stuffed with meat or vegetable fillings, and steamed in broth or tomato sauce. Purée it with nuts, cheese, garlic, and olive oil to make a pesto. Bake it into stratas and panades.