Add Photo to Journal

Photo Credit: Megan Bame

The large, glossy green leaves and bright coloring of Swiss chard dress up a garden as much as a dinner plate!

Is Swiss chard really from Switzerland? Nope. Its name actually honors the Swiss botanist who classified this leafy green with the scientific name Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla . (Say that three times fast…) Rather, this versatile vegetable was first cultivated much farther south – in the Mediterranean – where it’s been enjoyed for centuries.

There are many reasons this underappreciated veggie has been around for so long. First, it’s got a lengthy growing season. In temperate climates, starter plants can be put in moist, well-drained, sandy loam soil in early March and continually harvested from early spring through fall. (Seeds take a little longer to grow.) During the heat of summer, the leaves take on a bitter taste that may not be so palatable, but gardeners don’t have to abandon their plants! Simply cut the outer leaves away once a week, make sure the plants get plenty of water, and wait for the cooler temperatures to sweeten the tender foliage that continually grows from the center.

Add Photo to Journal

Photo Credit: Mark A. Miller

Loose-leaf Swiss chard doesn’t form a head like with lettuce, but it continually grows new leaves from the center of the plant.

Harvesting Swiss chard is a breeze: The leaves are generally clipped when they reach 8-12 inches tall, but ones that grow larger won’t take on a bitter taste and are perfectly fine to eat. Any older leaves that have been passed over should be snipped off to encourage the new growth to flush from the center. And since that’s where the new growth comes from, care must be taken not to remove the center of the plant when harvesting!

But enough about history and cultivation. The big questions are: Is Swiss chard healthy, and does it taste good? The answers are yes…and yes!