Chard will often keep producing right through a UK winter, long after spinach and most other leafy greens have given up for the year.
Chard is far more heat- and cold-tolerant than its close relative spinach, rarely bolting in summer and often standing right through a UK winter for picking well into the following spring. A second, later sowing specifically timed for overwintering — rather than one spring sowing alone — is what makes the difference between a few weeks of chard and nearly a year of it.
Sowing & growing calendar
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | Sow in March | Sow in April | Sow in May | Sow in June | Sow in July | Sow in August | ||||||
| Harvest | Harvest in January | Harvest in February | Harvest in June | Harvest in July | Harvest in August | Harvest in September | Harvest in October | Harvest in November | Harvest in December |
Care details
- Sow March – June
Sow for a summer crop, once the soil has warmed a little.
- Harvest June – February
Pick outer leaves right through summer and, from an overwintering batch, on into early spring.
- Sow July – August
Sow again now — this batch is the one that will stand right through winter.
Growing tips & common problems
- Sow a second batch in mid-to-late summer specifically for a crop that stands through winter, rather than relying on a single spring sowing.
- Pick outer leaves and leave the centre growing, rather than cutting the whole plant at once.
- Rainbow and ruby varieties hold their stem colour best in a sunny spot — shade fades it.
Grows well with
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