50 + Rainbow Swiss Chard Seeds(Beta vulgaris cicla) Rhubarb Perpetual Spinach Garden Fresh USA

Swiss Chard really is  a relative of the beet. But unlike traditional beets, which put their energy into producing finger-staining roots,chard instead produces big,tender leaves and crunchy stalks.This mix of swiss chard is indeed a rainbow of colors! Harvest the baby leaves of Rainbow swiss chard and add color to your salads! Stems and veins vary in color from red to gold to pink and many colors in between! In spite of the name, Swiss chard originates in the Mediterranean region, where professional and home chefs alike use it for salad greens or as a flavoring in soup or rice.

Sow

-Starting Indoors – sow seeds indoors in the early Spring, 4-6 weeks prior to the last heavy frost of the season has passed. Sow seeds ½ inch deep, 2 seeds every 2 inches, thin to 4-6 inches apart.

-Starting Outdoors – directly sow seeds 2-3 weeks before the last spring frost date. For a fall harvest, plant Chard seeds about 40 days before the first fall frost date.

Plant

-Sow in well-draining, rich, light soil, in full sun.

-Prepare your planting area by turning over soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Level with a rake to remove any   clumps of grass or debris.

-Sow about 6 inches apart and cover with ½ inch fine soil.

-Compress seeds lightly into the soil and keep area evenly moist. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

-Seedlings emerge in about 7-14 days.

-Once seedlings are 2-4 inches tall, thin them out so that they are 12 inches apart.

Harvest

35 days to baby harvest and 60 days to mature harvest.Individual leaves can be harvested for green as soon as they reach a height of 6-8in.The whole plant can be cut at the surface of the soil, but to ensure continued growth and another harvest, leave an inch of stem outer stalks can also be harvested individually, leaving the heart to grow.