Harvesting Swiss Chard Seeds Swiss chard’s lightweight pollen can be carried a long way in the wind, and will cross with other members of the species, such as ruby red swiss chard. Select heirloom swiss chards that are a couple inches in diameter and dig them up before the first hard frost. Cut leafy tops to 1 in. Bury heirloom swiss chards in damp sand or sawdust and store in a cool (40-50 degrees), humid place for winter. When the soil can be worked in spring, throw out swiss chards withered in storage and replant firm swiss chards outdoors about 2 ft. apart, with crowns just below the soil level. The plant will produce a tall, branched stalk loaded with tiny flowers. To harvest, cut plant at the ground and hang them upside down in a well ventilated area to dry. Strip the seeds by hand. Heirloom swiss chard seeds are harvested BIENNIALLY.
This abundant producer will bear crops all summer long and into the fall. Use Ruby Red Swiss Chard in salads or steam it for a delicious and nutritious side dish.
Maturity: 60 Days
Swiss chard is known for the nutritional value it offers. It is one of the best sources of vitamin A, C, and K as well as magnesium, potassium, fiber, and iron. This leafy green has been shown to fight cancer, lower blood pressure, and improve athletic performance according to several studies. While all this sounds good to be true, you’re probably thinking it must taste awful, right? Wrong! Swiss chard is extremely tasty, and you can even eat it raw or cooked.
Once you harvest your heirloom swiss chard seeds, you can add this nutritional powerhouse to smoothies, salads, stir fry, soups, omelets, and so much more.
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