Skip to main content

Quick growing swiss chard in containers at home garden in USA

Swiss chard is one of the most significant leafy vegetables in terms of its nutrients, color, and appearance. Although generally, people want to grow maroon stalk swiss chard for those who don't know, swiss chard has also a variety of greens stalk. Even you can grow them in a single container if you practice the right method with precise transplantation. 

It is a very common mistake people do while transplantation of such short-roots plants, especially for beginners. Don't worry, I'll explain to you every single detail possible at the beginner level to grow swiss chard in containers. 

Growing swiss chard in containers at home garden

It is always better to grow swiss chard from seeds in containers instead of cuttings. You can sow both green and maroon stalk swiss chard in nursery cups at once separately. Further, you need to transplant young plants in bigger containers. Better to start sowing seeds from spring to harvest longer in moderate light.

Growing Swiss chard in containers

But before that, let's have a quick eye on swiss chard growing conditions and other requirements. 

Growing conditions for swiss chard

  • Soil type

Ordinary garden soil is not best for swiss chard plants so it needs some developments in its richness and fertility. So we use compost, peat, and garden soil mixture to make it more specific, rich, and well-drained for swiss chard plants. 

  • Climate conditions and temperature

It can grow in both cool and warm climates if the temperature is neither too cold nor too hot. 

In summer, temperature above 80F is stressful for chard, and below 35F is cold for chard. Somewhere between moderate is quite good enough to grow Swiss chard in containers. 

  • Sunlight and shade 

Swiss chard-like sunlight of 5 to 8 hours a day. It shouldn't be too intense afternoon or you need some partial shade to avoid damage to plants. 

In warm climates, sunlight is not harmful at any time for swiss chard but in summer it can create problems of drought during the afternoon period. So be careful during temperature increases. 

Requirements to grow swiss chard

Tools 

  • Small planters
  • Nursery cups 
  • Spraying bottles
  • Scissors

Materials 

  • Garden soil 
  • Coco-peat
  • Compost 
  • Swiss chard seeds

Containers for swiss chard

The best containers for swiss chard are wider according to the number of plants. A depth of 6 to 8 inches is enough for swiss chard. The container should be 20 to 22 inches wide for 4 to 5 swiss chard plants at their maximum growth. 

Nursery cups should be bigger than ordinary ones so it can take time to expand up to young plants. 

Method of growing swiss chard

Step 1- Preparing soil for swiss chard seeds

Preparing soil for swiss chard is not difficult but should be done in two stages; sowing and transplantation. Take a ratio of 2:2;1 of garden soil, compost, and coco-peat respectively. 

Step 2- Sowing seeds

Fill the freshly made soil mixture in the nursery cups. So here, we're going to grow two different swiss chard plants; green stalk and maroon stalk. Sow 2 or 3 seeds in every cup but don't mix them in the same container. Press them with fingers inside the soil for 1 to 2 cm deep and cover them. Spray some water and let them grow in sunlight. 

Step 3- Seed germination and young plants

After 7 to 10 days, swiss chard seeds will start germinating in cups with their maroon and green thin stalks in distinct cups. Let them grow in sunlight for one more week till they become young plants about 5 to 6 inches. 

Step 4- Transplanting young plants in bigger containers

Prepare the bigger containers with a new soil mixture of the same ratio as you used for germination. Fill it in the container and spray some water to increase moisture. Wear safety gloves and make some space with your hands or planter tool. Plant the young swiss chard plants in these spaces and cover them with soil up to their roots. 

Repeat this process with every single plant and keep your container in sunlight. Yes, you can transplant maroon and green swiss chard plants in the same containers. 

Step 5- Further care for plants

From here, you just need to provide these plants with sunlight and enough moisture to grow. Although these plants don't ask for much irrigation in a short time still regular monitoring is important. Don't fertilize further. 

Step 6- First harvesting of swiss chard

After 5 to 7 weeks, swiss chard will become ready for harvesting. But if they don't look like 5 to 6 inches bigger leaves then give them some more time. So finally, use scissors to cut the swiss chard leaves. Remove only older leaves from outer portions. Let the newer ones grow and more leaves will grow from the mid portion further.

Step 7- Further harvesting of swiss chard

After first harvesting, you just have to follow the simple care of plants and they will grow more leaves in a very short time. In the next 2 weeks, you can harvest another round of swiss chard leaves. The best time to harvest these leaves is the morning period when they remain quite soft. 

After 3 to 4 harvesting, you can take one or two more harvesting from these plants. But before the start of frost, you need to remove the whole plant. So use scissors as same and cut in the same way as the market swiss chard bunch. 

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Center pivot sprinkler system cost per-acre, 10-acres, 40-acres cost, parts, and maintenance

Precision irrigation is a very helpful way to save water and increase production. In lack of water conditions precision irrigation is a very effective and futuristic method.  Center pivot irrigation follows the precision irrigation principle. We can save up to 40% of water waste and can increase 15 to 20% production through the Center pivot irrigation system. This system is suitable for crops like maize, soybean , sugarcane , vegetable crops, etc.  Although its installation cost and maintenance cost is high but still less than drip irrigation and it's worth it in bigger crop areas.  Center pivot sprinkler irrigation system cost  Flowing water irrigation is a very irresponsible method these days when we are facing irrigation water-related issues. Center pivot systems use sprinklers to irrigate fixed sections.  This system covers a circular field and irrigates through sprinklers. These sprinklers can be adjusted and controlled precisely according to crop water ne...
Read more

Lawn weeds in North Carolina(USA), identification, and common causes

Common weeds like warm climate conditions grow on roadsides, meadows, lawns, and gardens.  North Carolina is a warm climate region that is habitable for various weeds. This causes several species and varieties of weeds in lawns.  Here, I'm going to give you info on such common weeds that grow in lawns in North Carolina.  Lawn weeds in North Carolina(USA)  Lawn weeds can be very different from each other. Some are plant weeds that bloom flowers, and some are grass weeds that look like lawn grass but their nature and growth are different than lawn grass. Also, Ash composting is not helpful to remove lawn weeds, instead it encourages them to grow but sometimes it can help to neutralize the acidic soil. Let's understand every common weed one by one in North Carolina. First, their identification and then their common causes.  Crabgrass weed Identification Size- 5 inches height(max) and grow horizontally Leaves- Multiple leaves in a single stem and multiple stems i...
Read more

Turf comparison of Bahiagrass vs Zoysia grass in USA

In most warm regions in the USA, often people want to know about the comparison of both Zoysia grass and Bahiagrass(paspalum notatum) but because of lots of similarities, they get confused to decide which one is best for their lawns.  Although, with some other lawn turfs, people take these grasses as weeds sometimes it is not bad to have a whole of such grasses.  Here, we discussed almost every valid point of comparison between Zoysia grass and Bahiagrass.  Zoysia grass Vs Bahiagrass Before comparing both turfs, let's first understand why people often choose grasses like Zoysia and Bahiagrass and the thing that why these are different than Crabgrass and dallisgrass . Climate may be a reason, maintenance work, weather-friendly, perennial or annual, are some reasons for those who want to keep their lawns simple with no regular maintenance.  The following factors will help you to understand which grass is best for your lawn-  Identification With the following poin...
Read more

Crabgrass Vs Dallisgrass in USA and weed comparison in lawn

We can use an annual grass-looking weed in a lawn for short-term periods. It is quite beneficial too because of its invasive, similar-looking, and low-maintenance nature.  Crabgrass is one of those few weed types of grass that looks like st Augustine and can work the same as lawn turf for short periods. But considering it as a weed is more suitable in warm season lawns like Bermuda and St Augustine.  Dallisgrass is a perennial weed that looks similar to crabgrass but has different properties. Crabgrass vs Dallisgrass in Lawn in the USA I can understand what things make you trouble distinguishing both weeds. Here, I've covered most of the points to help you with this query. Keep in mind that Crabgrass and Dallisgrass comparison is different from Bermuda and Centipede grass .  Crabgrass is an annual grass that loose life just after a couple of seasons per year. Dallisgrass recovers itself every spring and grows with its seeds and rhizomes. It doesn't need any external caus...
Read more