Swiss Chard Bright Lights a perennial??

gixxerific · Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:44 am

You bet! Here is some Chard I left in the ground last fall. It has been putting on new leaves throuout the winter. Slowly but still producing. It has been picking up steam in the past month. Guess I won't be starting any Chard this year.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05613.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC05614.jpg[/img]

soil · Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:13 am

I have a chard that is over 4 years old. keeps on giving. extremely drought tolerant

applestar · Sun Mar 25, 2012 3:08 pm

Won't they go to seed? Keep cutting the leaves to keep them from bolting?

gixxerific · Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:34 pm

applestar wrote:Won't they go to seed? Keep cutting the leaves to keep them from bolting?

IF they went to see all the better. Keep doing that and it will really be unstoppable in your said climate.

soil · Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:41 pm

I let them go to seed and then cut them back, you get another season this way. and you get seed. actually....a lot of seed....thousands.

applestar · Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:50 pm

Good to know! I have a couple that are struggling back too, though so far, the yellows manage to survive better than the reds. (I want REDS)

gixxerific · Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:09 pm

I might have some seed left apple if you need some. I would be more than happy to hook you up. they are five color but red seems to be dominant

!potatoes! · Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:44 pm

is there a really dark-leaved one in that mix, too? I think I remember it in bright lights when I worked in the farmstand in vt...like red/purple stems with purple/green leaves?

that's the one I always wanted not as part of a mix.

soil · Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:45 pm

mine is a red stem, dark dark leaves. ive been told by many people its the best chard they have ever had. I'm willing to bet its because of the massive root system the plant has, they are related to beets after all. next time it produces seed you can have some if you want.

gixxerific · Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:50 pm

sorry I was on my phone earlier typing fast.

the stems are yellow a lot but sometimes a certain plant throws more red. The ones that are grwoing here seem to be more red. That is what I meant. I have some coming up in my front garden as well. Last year those plants had almost 3 foot leaves. I used them as decoration and for eating so I let them get huge. Some of you may remember the pics I took. I could have stiched the leaves together and made a shirt.