Chard is also known as Swiss chard or silver beet, and is a truly nutritious vegetable. Chard leaves contain antioxidants and anti-cancer chemicals in abundance.
Step One
Select chard seeds or seedlings. Chard comes in a number of colors, from green to bright pink, white, red, or orange. Select the ones that you’d like to grow and that are suitable for your area.
Step Two
Choose a garden position. Chard does well in an open and sunny position. The soil should be fertile and moist but well-draining. Add a little well-rotted manure into the tilled soil.
Step Three
Sow seeds in a seed tray and plant out when ready. They need to be strong enough for planting.
Step Four
Thin out the seedlings. The seedlings need to be at least 10cm (4″) apart for a crop destined to be harvested only for young leaves; for plants intended to be grown to full size, thin out to 30cm (12″) apart. Keep rows about 45cm (18″) apart.
Step Five
Weed regularly. Weed by hand or hoe to remove weeds.
Step Six
Harvest. Cut the outer leaves off but not all the way down the stem; there should be new leaves produced for several months. After cutting off the leaves (young or full-grown), use them quickly because they soon wilt.