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Ongoing chard

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in Fruit & veg
Hi,
my chard and rocket plants have happily made it through several winters in the garden (uncovered) and are looking sturdy as the weather is slowly warming. Is there great advantage to planting new plants from seed or will the old plants just keep providing cut and come again leaves in perpetuity? The leaves are big, and not bitter. Thoughts appreciated.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2018
    Chard is my favourite vegetable and I'd be lost without it ... it is biennial so will run to flower and seed this year ... I keep cutting it until the big ribbed flower stems shoot up, then the leaves get a bit tough and bitter ... so you and I need to sow some more this spring  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Thanks Dove.
  • Green MagpieGreen Magpie Posts: 806
    Yes, my last year's chard still looks OK but I am about to sow some more, as I know that soon the old plants will grow thick flower stems and go to seed.  Then I will dig them up and be amazed, again, at the size of the roots.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I let one self seed last year (just curious) and got a sort of bandage pink swiss chard (I grow four of five different varieties as a rule, all different colours). It tasted fine but looked a bit strange
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I used to grow different varieties, but now I just grow Fordhook Giant  ... absolutely the best ever



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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