Dr. Cynthia Nazario-Leary: A beet without a base
I love plants that are colorful even without flowers. Not that shades of green can’t be stunning, but, contrasted with a purple leaf margin or festooned with yellow and pink splotches, a green leaf becomes a showstopper. Usually, these color combos are saved for the ornamental types, but there’s an edible, leafy green that can hold its own with the coleus and crotons of the landscape world — Swiss chard. Compared to its colorful variegated brethren, you might call Swiss chard humble, but, in the garden, it easily becomes the star. The bright, colorful stems that can range from vibrant yellows and oranges to deep reds, pinks and purples always draw the oohs and ahhs.
What’s even better than a colorful edible? An easy-to-grow edible. This is a great first plant for those just starting to garden. It can be directly seeded or transplanted into your garden and, in North Central Florida, you can begin planting Swiss chard in September and can use succession planting, sowing seeds every few weeks, until May. Since chard can withstand cool temperatures, you can enjoy your Swiss chard throughout the winter into spring!
Like many leafy greens, these plants prefer at least six hours of direct sun per day and well-drained, fertile soil. While Swiss chard has very few insect problems, it can be very susceptible to a soil-borne pest called root-knot nematode. If you’ve had nematode issues before in your garden, consider planting Swiss chard in planters or grow bags.
Both Swiss chard's leaves and stems are edible. Chard is ready to harvest 40 to 60 days after seeding, or once leaves reach 8 to 10 inches long. For less bitterness, harvest leaves while they are young and tender. Make sure to pick the outer leaves a few at a time to sustain a continued harvest.
Swiss chard and beets share the same classification, Beta vulgaris, but, unlike beets, which are cultivated for their roots (although you can eat beet leaves too!), Swiss chard is cultivated solely for its stems and leaves.
Oddly enough, Swiss chard did not originate in Switzerland but originated from a wild version of the beet that grew on the Mediterranean island Sicily. The “Swiss” part, as the story goes, apparently came from the Swiss botanist who figured out the plant's scientific name.
It began to appear in American and European gardens around the 1830s and has since grown an entourage of names including stem chard, spinach beet, leaf beet, white beet, seakale beet and silver beet to name a few.
Whatever you call it, for all this plant has to offer, it really can’t be “beet!”
I invite you to learn more about Swiss chard and other garden plants on our Plant of the Month website, bit.ly/AlachuaPOTM. Each month, information on how to plant, care, harvest and prepare a selected edible plant is curated by Master Gardener volunteers and extension agents. Plants are selected based on their ability to grow successfully in Alachua County and matched to the month when they should be planted.
To learn more about managing your Florida landscape, reach out to UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County’s office to speak with a Master Gardener Volunteer at 955-2402 or mag@alachuacounty.us, or visit Alachua County’s Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program webpage at bit.ly/AlachuaFFL.
— Dr. Cynthia Nazario-Leary is the Environmental and Community Horticulture Extension Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County. Contact her at cnazarioleary@ufl.edu or 955-2402.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Dr. Cynthia Nazario-Leary: A beet without a base
