Growing Swiss chard in open ground
The variety of beets is diverse, but not many people know that there is a crop related to it, but does not form roots. The plant is valued for the taste and useful properties of leaves and cuttings. Planting and caring for chard in open ground is similar to beet agricultural technology. It can be grown as a biennial or annual plant.
Origin and description of culture
Chard was grown in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was widespread in the coastal countries of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. The plant appeared in Russia around the 16th-17th centuries. Currently, it is widely distributed in the USA, Japan, India, and European countries.
Long stems and leaves (from 30 cm) of chard are similar to spinach. The color of the petioles depends on the variety and can be white, yellow, red, orange, green. The leaves have a smooth or swollen surface. The root crop is not formed, only the above-ground part is used for food.
In the first year of development, a large, vertical rosette of leaves on long petioles grows. In the second year, the plant produces a branched peduncle with greenish flowers. The crop is cold-resistant, the seeds germinate at a temperature of +5°C, the optimal conditions for development are +22-28°C. Sprouts withstand short-term frosts down to -2-3°C, and adult bushes up to -5°C.
chard in the garden
Benefits of Swiss chard
The crop is valued for its high content of nutrients, which have a positive effect on the human body. The vegetable can be eaten raw, and also used to prepare cold soups and appetizers, beetroot soups, salads. For main courses, the leaves are stewed, boiled or fried in oil. The stems can be pickled, and the leaves of some varieties can be salted.
Chard is a low-calorie plant, allowing it to be used in weight-loss diets. The vitamin composition is represented by vitamins A, C, E, K, group B. Minerals – calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus. It also contains organic acids and nitrogenous substances.
The vegetable is recommended for use in the diet of people with the following diseases:
anemia;
diabetes;
hepatitis;
obesity;
atherosclerosis;
hypertension.
composition of chard
Regular consumption of leaf beet improves the condition of the liver, pancreas, lymphatic and cardiovascular systems. It helps strengthen the immune system and improve overall health. The betaines it contains purify the blood and remove insoluble salts. The vegetable is a source of calcium for people suffering from lactase deficiency. Swiss chard has oncoprotective properties and normalizes bowel function. Its anti-inflammatory effect is used for burns, styes, and abscesses. Masks based on the plant are used against baldness.
Varietal diversity
The main types of the crop are stem and leaf chard. In the first case, the petioles are more valuable, in the second, mainly the tender leaves of the plant are used, growing back as the grown specimens are cut. Leaf beet is distinguished by its high productivity, it can give up to 1 kg of marketable products.
There are Rainbow seeds on sale, which include several varieties.
Common varieties of Swiss chard include:
Scarlet – mid-season (80-90 days) with large fleshy leaves and bright red stems;
Emerald – early ripening, ripens in 60 days from emergence, petioles 27 cm long, leaf height 45 cm, green color;
Belavinka is a hybrid resistant to flowering, has a large rosette of leaves up to 70 cm in height, stems are white with a greenish and pinkish tint;
Beauty – vegetation period is about 60 days, petioles up to 40 cm, bright red;
Brazilian – early, yellow-petioled variety with semi-erect, bright leaves.
Agrotechnical requirements for cultivation
The plant is quite unpretentious, can grow on different soils, and can withstand short-term cold spells. But unfavorable conditions affect the yield: the leaves are formed small, grow poorly. Shading can cause the accumulation of nitrates and nitrites in the leaf part of the crop.
Growing chard requires moderate watering, loosening, and removing weeds. It is important to inspect the bushes for pests and diseases. A change in color or deterioration in appearance may indicate a lack of nutrients. You need to grow chard in the same way as table beets.
Climate conditions
The plant is best suited to a moderate climate with fertile soil, although the unpretentiousness of the crop allows it to be cultivated everywhere. In cold regions, it is advisable to grow in greenhouses or hotbeds. Chard tolerates short-term cold spells, but unfavorable conditions always affect the yield. In a mild climate, you can leave leaf beet for the winter in open ground. In dry weather conditions, it is important to ensure sufficient watering.
Swiss chard in a greenhouse
Soil requirements
The soil can be any, but changing some characteristics will allow you to grow a rich harvest. Slightly acidic acidity is acceptable, but it is better to apply lime to a neutral environment if necessary. Heavy, waterlogged soil will delay growth and development. It is desirable that the soil be light, fertilized with organic matter. A good result will be on floodplain and peat areas.
Predecessors
Crop rotation is important to prevent pests and diseases. Good predecessors for chard are potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumbers, lettuce, especially if the soil under them was regularly fertilized. Soil after beets and spinach is not suitable. It is better to sow the crop itself in a new place every year. The same plot can be used for cultivating leaf beets only after 3-4 years.
Planting technology
The vegetable can be grown in a conveyor way. For this, chard seeds should be sown in late autumn – before frosts (winter method), in spring – in April and in summer – in June. The seedling method is rarely used, since leaf beet grows well in beds.
chard planting
It is advisable to prepare the soil in advance. To do this, immediately after harvesting the previous crops, remove all plant residues, dig up and add fertilizers. For deoxidation, you can additionally add lime, dolomite flour or wood ash. Of the organic additives, rotted dry manure or compost are suitable. With the winter method of cultivation, it will be necessary to mulch the beds with a thick layer of straw.
Sowing dates and seed preparation
The sowing date may vary depending on the climate zone and the variety of the seed material. The main condition is that the soil warms up to +5°C. The optimal steady temperature for chard is +18°C. The seedlings can withstand short-term frosts, but they negatively affect the development of the plant; some varieties may begin to bolt early. In the middle zone, it is advisable to postpone sowing until the end of April or the beginning of March.
In southern regions, it is possible to plant 2-3 weeks earlier or at the end of October for the winter method. In northern regions, it is advisable to use the seedling method of growing or use greenhouses.
Before spring or summer sowing, soak the seeds in warm water (+40°C) for 1.5-2 days. Change it several times. Remove any floating specimens immediately, as they will not yield a harvest. To speed up the process, replace the water with a biostimulant, such as Epin. In this case, it is enough to keep them in the solution for 2 hours. For disinfection, use a light solution of potassium permanganate.
chard seeds
Sowing technology
The planting pattern depends on the type and variety of the crop. The petiolate variety requires a distance of 35-40 cm between the bushes, and the leafy variety – 20-25 cm. The row spacing is 25-40 cm. Thickness negatively affects growth and yield, and contributes to the development of diseases. Sowing depth is 2-2.5 cm.
You need to plant chard with prepared seeds, putting 1-2 pieces into the formed holes. The shoots will appear in 2 weeks.
Features of care
When favorable conditions are created, chard will grow better and give a long harvest. Leaf beet should be grown in the same way as regular beet. Periodic loosening of the soil, sufficient watering, and timely application of fertilizers are required. Flower stalks released by the plant should be removed so that the leaves can be cut longer.
It is important to inspect for signs of diseases or pests. Start fighting in a timely manner, carry out preventive measures. It is undesirable to allow darkening of plantings, since it will not allow the vegetable to form a leaf rosette correctly, will reduce the yield, and can cause the accumulation of nitrates and nitrites in the green mass.
chard in the garden
Watering mode
The plant tolerates drought and stagnant moisture equally poorly. It needs to be watered abundantly, but once a week is enough. After the procedure, loosen the soil if necessary, remove weeds. This will allow oxygen to penetrate to the roots, protect the chard from possible infection.
Top dressing
It is important to apply fertilizers before sowing the crop in the garden bed. This will provide enough nutrients for the plant to develop. It is advisable to use additional fertilizers after each cutting of greenery. A solution of urea, mullein or herbal infusion according to a folk recipe are suitable for this.
Diseases and pests
Crop rotation and proper cultivation techniques are the best preventive measures against damage to chard. But even despite this, diseases may appear or pests may settle in. The crop is most susceptible to powdery mildew, which is favored by long rains, stagnant water, and lack of fresh air. Diseased specimens should be immediately removed from the beds and burned. The remaining bushes should be pollinated with a sulfur solution, and fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
powdery mildew
Possible infection with black leg. In dry weather, the disease progresses very quickly. Prevention is proper preliminary preparation of beds, removal of weeds, moderate watering.
Pests that can settle include aphids, wireworms, rootworms, and beet flea beetles. The use of insecticides is undesirable, so preventive measures must be taken, and plants must be treated with insect-repellent solutions. It is also permissible to use biological preparations that are safe for human and animal health.
Harvesting
Early varieties are ready for cutting already 2 months after the sprouts appear. Many varieties grow new leaves throughout the growing season, which allows harvesting until late autumn. They need to be broken off or cut with a knife along with the cuttings at the base. The leaves do not store for long, it is advisable to eat them on the day of cutting.
You can wash it, wrap it in a bag and put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Do not keep it longer, because the nutritional and useful properties will decrease sharply.
Mangold is a leaf beet, tasty, healthy, cold-resistant. The appearance of the plant can decorate a garden plot, and fresh greens will delight until late autumn. The crop is unpretentious in cultivation and care.
