Is it too late to sow swiss chard?

[antipodes]

I still have some rainbow chard seeds leftover but is it too late to sow them now for winter? In fact this year I buggered up my leeks and haven't been able to get plants so I am looking for other winter plants to grow. I already have sprouts and kale and will try to do lamb's lettuce and spinach and overwintering spring onions, but I was thinking that chard might be a good idea too, as it is pretty hardy.  But maybe I am too late?

As I get an organic veg box too, I always get cabbage and other winter greens, turnip, celeriac, black radish etc, but wanted to fill part of the plot more than anything!

[antipodes]

[saddad]

Plenty of time for Chard, Beetroot and Leaf Beet...  :)

[brown thumb]

after reading this post iam off toget some rain bow chard seed wilkos here i come never grown it before can i start it off in mods in gh

[Stevens706]

Only planted mine out last week so only about 3 weeks in front of you

[grawrc]

It's tough as old boots. I sow it all year round (except when there's snow!)

[Alex133]

Sowed rhubarb chard and perpetual spinach yesterday.

[antipodes]

I guess that's a yes then! I like rainbow chard, it's so pretty but I find it hard to get good plump stalks. I must give it more water perhaps...

[GRACELAND]

water ,plenty
pick often ;D

sow now and next month too

[InfraDig]

Have a look at How to Grow Winter Vegetables, by Charles Dowding. Plenty of time!

[artichoke]

My experience is that the bog standard spinach beet survives the winter, but the pretty ones often don't. Fortunately my standard spinach beet sows itself all over the place and I just have to move the seedlings into a row ready for the autumn.

[pigeonseed]

Yes of course they don't grow much if at all over winter, but if they've reached a good size, you can eat the leaves. That's what I've found.

I don't get fat stalks from the coloured varieties, but some of the white chard gets fat stalks - the best bit for me! I'm saving seed from the fattest one this year.

[Russell]

I have put swiss chard transplants in the space left after clearing my broad beans. The swiss chard grew well and gave me a good crop before the inevitable early hard frost hit them. Maybe they would have survived to give a spring crop also if I had not ripped them out  to plant brassicas.

[antipodes]

Hmm maybe I should see if a neighbour has a few white chard seeds I could have? The rainbow one are pretty but I agree that the white is better eating.

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,  ;)
            If you sow them around the end of July, they put on quite a bit of growth & then they will overwinter no problem. In the Spring they kick into growth & you can have several pickings before they run to seed, really good during the period when there is not much to pick  ;D
                               Adrian.

[pigeonseed]

I'll send you some antipodes - pm me your address. Unless you've already got some from the neighbours!