A colorful edible vegetable that can find a place in your annual garden. Pull off the outer young leaves and eat in a salad or cook like spinach. Packed full of good nutritional stuff.
Pronunciation
(BET-uh)(vul-GAIR-iss)
Plant Type
Edibles Vegetables, Site author's observations
Sunlight
full, mostly sun
Moisture
average
Soil & Site
average
Temperature
very cold tolerant, with stands light to moderate frosts in our garden
Flowers
I have never had this plant bloom in my garden. I am assuming if they bolt (bloom) the taste will become bitter, like many leaf vegetables do.
Leaves
lots of different petiole (leaf stalk) colors)
Dimensions
depending on variety but usually around 12 inches
Propagation
Since we need only 6 or more plants in our garden, I like to start indoors 2-3 weeks, in plantable containers before they will be set out. It can be direct seeded into the garden.
Misc Facts
Harvest the outside leaves and the plant will continue to grow. Can be boiled or mixed with other dishes. Also can be eaten raw in salads. To many Swiss Chard is an "acquired taste".