For a real burst of color in your garden, be sure to leave room to plant some chard! Bright red, pink, orange and yellow stalks with vibrant green leaves make the chard one of the most attractive, as well as nutritious, vegetables you can grow in your home garden. This easy to grow vegetable will thrive in the ground, a raised bed, or in containers, and can withstand both cool and warm climates.

So you’ve decided to plant chard in your garden? According to our research on chard, you can plant anything nearby!

Chard will grow best in fertile soil that is well amended with nitrogen-rich additives before planting. Leave 12-18 inches between each plant, and be sure the chard is receiving between 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week. Laying a layer of mulch around the chard will help the soil retain moisture, reduce weeds, and keep the plant leaves clean during growth. A continuous release vegetable fertilizer should be used every few weeks to help replenish the soil’s nutrients during plant growth.

Chard can be harvested at any point during its growth cycle, once the leaves are large enough for eating. In most cases, the smaller leaves are packed with the most flavor and nutrients. When using larger leaves from a late harvest, cut out the thick midrib before cooking or serving the greens. Whole leaves will keep in a refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, but chard is always best used fresh.