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.

Acelga

Beta vulgaris Cicla Group

Siembre las semillas de acelga directamente de abril a julio, en un suelo húmedo y fértil, a pleno sol o en semisombra. La acelga es resistente (RHS H4–H5) y mucho más fiable para el cultivo de hojas en verano en el Reino Unido que la espinaca propiamente dicha: no florece de la misma manera y produce de forma continua desde junio hasta la primavera siguiente con una ligera protección invernal. La variedad Bright Lights produce tallos blancos, amarillos, naranjas y rojos; la Fordhook Giant es la variedad estándar de tallo blanco y gran rendimiento; la acelga ruibarbo tiene tallos de color rojo intenso. Cada semilla da lugar a un racimo de 2–4 plantas; aclare a una por cada plantación, separadas 30 cm entre sí. Recoja los tallos y las hojas exteriores de forma continua a partir de las 8 semanas tras la siembra. Las babosas son la principal plaga; por lo demás, es uno de los cultivos más fáciles de cualquier huerto doméstico del Reino Unido.

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