swiss chard tastes bitter

orgoveg · Mon May 21, 2012 11:42 pm

I planted some Fordhook Giant Swiss chard and it is pretty bitter when eaten raw. I got tired of growing fussy spinach and I had been led to believe that chard tastes just like it while being much slower to bolt. Is it normally eaten cooked because of this or do I just have a particularly bitter batch for some reason? I know I grew it once years ago and I don't recall objecting to the flavor.

I guess I should mention that I ate my thinnings which were between 2 and 5 inches tall.

jal_ut · Tue May 22, 2012 12:31 am

Don't know. I have never had bitter chard. That is a new one on me. Did it have plenty of water? Lettuce will go bitter if not enough water. Maybe chard does?

rainbowgardener · Tue May 22, 2012 1:10 am

My chard has never been bitter. I don't grow the Fordhook, I grow the Bright Lights rainbow chard, but I don't know if that makes any difference.

I have seen people say chard can get bitter in hot weather, though that hasn't been my experience.

You can try cutting it back and then eating the new growth leaves when they are smaller.

applestar · Tue May 22, 2012 1:19 am

Two members who have no trouble growing Swiss chard and who have said their soil is alkaline have spoken up. If you live in the same area as rainbowgardener, then I suppose your soil would be alkaline as well?

If not -- my soil is clay/acidic. Have yet to see really good growth on Swiss chard. They are stunted. They grow much better in containers of potting soil.

I'm not good at judging how bitter greens are since I LIKE bitter greens. So I'm not sure about the flavor.

cynthia_h · Tue May 22, 2012 1:56 am

2" to 5" thinnings, bitter? Very strange. Full-grown, raw chard--yes, I could believe that would be bitter; I always cook full-grown chard. But the thinnings I often eat right there in the garden.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

orgoveg · Tue May 22, 2012 2:16 am

Well... hmmm... maybe they just got too hot as it has been an unusually warm spring off-and-on. It can't be lack of water as that's a low spot in the garden which tends to flood.

I like kale when it's bitter, lamb's quarters, amaranth, dandelions, mustard greens, etc. I'm used to bitter but this flavor is just too strong.

GardenRN · Tue May 22, 2012 4:11 pm

Just a thought, I have noticed that the lettuce I grew in straight horse stall bedding compost is bitter. And I have read that an overage of nitrogen will make leafy greens more bitter. What are you growing them in? And have you added any fertilizers or amendments to it? Perhaps your soil/ growing medium is too high in nitrogen and that's what's doing it.

I only have personal experience with the lettuce. But it held true for 5 or 6 varieties, and I would suspect that other greens would have the same outcome.