Chard is a green with a mild, earthy flavor. In my zone 6 garden, I sow it directly in the garden after my last frost date, and it continues to grow until our first hard frost, without bolting. The key to keeping it going is to harvest the outer leaves, leaving the inner part of the plant intact. New leaves will form in the center, and you'll have a constant supply of chard.
In addition to the leaves, which can be eaten raw or cooked like spinach, the celery-like stems are delicious as well.
Chard is very high in vitamin A, with one cup of chopped leaves coming in at over 200% of the recommended daily allowance. In addition, chard is high in vitamin C and iron.
Delicious chard varieties: 'Bright Lights,' 'Ruby Chard.'
No comments:
Post a Comment