Swiss Chard

[silly billy]

What does Swiss Chard taste like? Does it wilt like spinach when you cook it or is it more like savoy cabbage? Can I leave it in all winter?

[silly billy]

[tim]

Earthy. Yes - no! Depends.

With protection, or in a favourable site, it will go through - ours is under cloches - but it won't produce much over the winter.

[deboydoyd]

Green bit tastes like spinach although less irony, white stem tastes apparently abit like asparagus. I just cut it up and bung it in stir fries and because its not that strong tasting the kids will eat it or braise it with some bits of bacon.It only takes a few seconds to cook down. You can cut out stem and steam them and add a little butter when cooked if you wish. I think it will last through winter I remember seeing a picture of chard covered in frost in a book so I think it is quite hardy.

[supersprout]

I would leave it in thru winter as a green manure and dig it in in spring! ;)

Swiss Chard?

[calendula]

Oh SS, it is lovely  :P - in frittatas, omelettes, stir fries, cheese sauces, soups - leaves very different to stems, can be used together or seperately and the rainbow chard looks beautiful, white, yellow, orange, pink, red and green  :)

[silly billy]

Excellent thankyou all for the info. Another crop to grow for next year.

[Hyacinth]

We were great spinach eaters - til I started to grow swiss chard! Picked while the stems are still slim it cooks exactly like spinach without taking off the stem. Mine stands without being covered through the winter & puts on growth in the spring. By the time the next sowing's coming through the first is just about ready to bolt. Reckon on just 4-6 weeks late spring without it. Great stuff and so attractive if you grow Bright Lights.

[saddad]

We grew rainbow and three seperate colours... OH has a pattern fetish in the pottager (Show) allotment. With Leaf beet as well there is always some "greens" to eat..
:)

[silly billy]

Thanks thats very helpful to know, will def give it a go.OH keeps goin on bout the colourful stems even brought the seed for next year from Wyevales seed sale.

[Hyacinth]

Heldi posted a fab picture of Bright Lights chard in August's comp. Did you see it? It's great 8)

[tim]

Yes - the stems are great - much more flavoursome, & sweeter.

Here's fingers crossed for the winter.............

[supersprout]

Oh SS, it is lovely

Funny, I used to love it as a kid! ???

[wellingtons]

It goes right through the winter here in Surrey, or it did last year and it's self seeded too ... cute or what!  Well that's not true I grew multicoloured stems last year and only the white have self seeded

[silly billy]

 ;D Ilive in Surrey too so should be ok for the winter.