Swiss chard: Cut back or remove and replace?

17 years ago

The Bright Lights Swiss Chard I planted in the early spring seems to have run its course. It struggled through a wicked leaf miner infestation, but even still produced pretty well, and still seems to be producing a bit. The question is - should I pull-out the current plants to plant new ones for the fall (in the next couple weeks) or will it just come back if I cut the existing plants way back. Thanks for your thoughts.

Featured Answer

greenthumbsj

17 years ago

Cut and it will come back. I leave about an inch and cut the leaves off and they come back in about a week ready. Some of my leaves are 18" long and 4-5" wide, yet very tender.

for me, Summer is for chards and fall/winter is for mustard and other asian greens.

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Comments (7)

west_texas_peg
17 years ago
It should come back after being cut back; that has been my experience. Good luck.

Peggy
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markmein
Original Author
17 years ago
Great. Thanks for the thoughts!
vikingkirken
17 years ago
You can harvest all but the center leaves and swiss chard should continue to produce all summer... I did Bright Lights last year and it did great in the heat.
glib
17 years ago
My chard prefers to produce in early summer (June) and late summer (September). In the two hottest months, it sits there doing little. Its schedule suits me fine since in those months I have plenty other stuff. So do not pull it.
rjinga
17 years ago
Is chard a biennial? I have some that has gone to seed, I did a poor job of keeping it cut back. If I were to cut it back now, would it continue on or is it toast? How long will a chard plant keep producing?
shebear
17 years ago
Chard is a biennial. Plant more. Then plant more next spring. The ones you plant now should keep producing all winter if covered. They were the most frost proof thing in the garden last year. I threw a sheet over them but I don't think they even needed it. Might if you get bad freezes or snow.

I discovered chard last year and can't get over how it grows even in the heat. It's wonderful after a cold snap. I eat my salads in the garden during the fall.

Get some chickens and feed them the chard you can't eat. And keep cutting....it'll keep growing. Just feed it some fertilizer and away it'll go.