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pollinatorbob

Swiss Chard -- 'bright lites'

pollinatorbob
16 years ago

My first posting here. I'm usually on the daylily forum. But I collect all kinds of other perennials, trees, etc. I have a pot of swiss chard, bright lites. The stalks are beautiful! bright pink,orange, white, striped. These plants are small, maybe a foot tall right now. I want to winter them over and plant them out in a large container next spring. I know they are somewhat cold hardy and I understand that they are really a bi-annual. So I was going to bring the container inside this winter, since we get below zero at times, and keep in in a cold room in a window and hopefully plant it out next spring. I realize this is a far-out question. If you know anything about these please respond. If you haven't seen this plant or heard of it, look it up. It can make a beautiful container plant either buy itself or mixed with annuals. I've seen them with stalks big as large celery, breathtaking. Thanks. Bob

Comment (1)

  • vetivert8
    16 years ago

    If it were me I'd separate the plants and pot them up individually. They need a sweet soil - 6.5-7.5 - and free-draining. You may need to pot on more than once over the winter to ensure that the roots don't start to circle the pot. They'll grow on more quickly if the feeder roots are still foraging.

    They will keep growing over the winter so it would help if you fed them at least monthly with a liquid fertiliser.

    Generally they have a strong root system with older plants having thick roots up to pinkie diameter. When you plant them out allow around a square foot for each plant.

    I have seen them planted out with a border of curly parsley - in a municipal garden - and it looked both unusual and colourful.

    You'd also be knowing that you can pull off the outer leaves and use them as greens. Both stems and leaf-parts are edible with the leaves having a hint of spinach-bite and the stems being much sweeter. The stems may discolour when cooked but that doesn't affect their goodness.

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