When can I sow chard in the UK?

April to July outdoors; March under cloches in southern England. A single April sowing usually crops continuously from June through to the following March or April when the plant bolts. Mid-summer sowings (July) crop from autumn through winter and into the following spring.

Is chard the same as Swiss chard or perpetual spinach?

Same species, all Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla. Swiss chard usually refers to the named cultivars with coloured stems (Bright Lights, Rhubarb chard, Fordhook Giant). Perpetual spinach is a green-stemmed type sold as a spinach alternative — same plant, marketed for the spinach-substitute angle. They're all the same family and grow the same way.

Why does chard not bolt like spinach?

Different species, despite the names. True spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is hard-wired to bolt as summer days lengthen. Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla) is a biennial — it grows in year one, bolts in year two. So a spring-sown chard gives leaf for 8–10 months before bolting, where spinach gives 4–6 weeks at best.

How long do chard plants last?

About 12–14 months — sown in April, they crop from June, through the winter, and bolt the following March or April. After bolting, replace with a fresh sowing. For continuous supply with no gap, sow a second batch in July; the older plants bolt as the new ones are coming online.

What's the difference between the coloured chards?

Mostly aesthetic. Bright Lights and Five Colours give a rainbow of white, yellow, orange, pink and red stems. Rhubarb chard has uniform deep red stems. Fordhook Giant has thick white stems and is the heaviest-cropping. Flavour differences are subtle; coloured stems tend to be slightly milder; white is more robust. Bright Lights wins on looks in an ornamental kitchen garden.

Can I grow chard in containers in the UK?

Excellent for containers. A 30 cm deep pot grows 3–4 plants. Use peat-free compost; water consistently; feed monthly through summer. The coloured cultivars (Bright Lights) make beautiful patio plants. Slug pressure is much lower in elevated containers than in the ground.

Mangold

Beta vulgaris Cicla Group

Säen Sie Mangoldsamen von April bis Juli direkt in feuchte, nährstoffreiche Erde an einem Standort in voller Sonne oder im leichten Halbschatten. Mangold ist winterhart (RHS H4–H5) und für den Sommeranbau von Blattgemüse in Großbritannien weitaus zuverlässiger als echter Spinat – er schießt nicht so schnell in die Blüte und liefert bei leichtem Winterschutz von Juni bis zum folgenden Frühjahr kontinuierlich Erträge. Die Sorte „Bright Lights“ bildet Stiele in Weiß, Gelb, Orange und Rot; „Fordhook Giant“ ist die ertragreiche Standardsorte mit weißen Stielen; „Rhubarb Chard“ hat tiefrote Stiele. Jeder Samen bildet eine Gruppe von 2–4 Pflanzen – vereinzeln Sie diese auf eine Pflanze pro Standort im Abstand von 30 cm. Ernten Sie die äußeren Stiele und Blätter ab 8 Wochen nach der Aussaat kontinuierlich. Schnecken sind der Hauptschädling; ansonsten ist Mangold eine der pflegeleichtesten Kulturen in jedem britischen Küchengarten.

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