Swiss Chard
Peppermint Swiss Chard dazzles with its bright candy-striped stems that look almost too beautiful to harvest. This Beta vulgaris cultivar matures in just 53 to 63 days, making it one of the faster-growing leafy greens for your garden. The vibrant colors aren't just for show, Swiss chard ranks as the second most nutritionally dense vegetable on earth, packed with antioxidant-rich anthocyanins that create those stunning stem colors. Plant it 2 inches apart in full sun and you'll have a harvest that's as gorgeous as it is good for you.
Full Sun
High
?-?
?in H x ?in W
Biennial
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
This open-pollinated variety transforms your garden into an edible rainbow with stems striped in candy-bright colors. Beyond its stunning appearance, Peppermint Swiss Chard delivers exceptional nutrition, ranking just below spinach as one of the world's healthiest vegetables. The anthocyanin-rich leaves can be harvested continuously by cutting outer leaves while leaving the growing point intact, providing weeks of fresh greens from a single planting. Its relatively quick 53-63 day maturity makes it perfect for succession planting throughout the growing season.
Swiss chard leaves serve as a nutritious alternative to spinach in both raw and cooked preparations. The colorful stems can be prepared separately, often sautéed or steamed as a side dish, while the leaves work beautifully in stir-fries, soups, and salads. Both baby leaves and mature leaves offer versatility in the kitchen, with baby greens perfect for fresh salads and larger leaves ideal for braising or stuffing.
Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before the anticipated transplant date, or begin in June-July for fall and winter crops. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep using 2-3 seeds per cell in 72- or 128-cell flats, then thin to 1-2 plants per cell once seedlings emerge.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after heavy frosts become infrequent, spacing them 4-6 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart. For fall crops, transplant in July-August from seeds started in June-July.
Direct sow from mid-spring through summer, planting seeds 1/2 inch deep and spacing them 2 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.
Harvest outer leaves individually by cutting or snapping them off, taking care not to damage the central growing point. For baby leaf harvest, cut leaves when they reach 3-6 inches tall, cutting about an inch above soil level and above the basal plate. New leaves will regrow in 5-14 days depending on conditions, allowing for multiple harvests from the same plant throughout the season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.