[rockyracoon]

I have bought some seeds of the multicoloured swiss chard, never tasted it before to thought will give it a go.  Now, I've run out of space in my vegetable patch, does this vegetable need a deep growing space? will a washing up bowl be enough room?

Thanks for any replies.

regards RR

[noshed]

They are quite big plants, I wouldn't have thought a washing up bowl would be deep enough. Have you an old bin or something? Have a read of John's latest book for gardening in containers - lots of good advice there. (And he doesn't pay me).

[rockyracoon]

Thanks for the reply,  I have got a couple of deep pots I can use.  I'll have a look see at the book you suggested.

[jazzbyrd]

I have grown swiss chard in containers about the size of a washing up bowl . You wont get plants as big as you would if you had grown it in open ground but you will get a decent sized plant. A deep pot will be fine. Just dont cram in too many.

Jazz

[Trillium]

I never plant my chard out in rows, just lots of seed in a 12" long strip at the edge of a veg bed. It's all the space I can spare and I get more than enough chard all season long.

[alibean]

Why stop at the vegetable patch - this year mine's going in a large planter in the front garden with globe artichokes and sunflowers - very colourful - just that the neighbours think I'm a bit batty!

[digalotty]

i love swiss chard its something i would not of tried if i didnt grow it myself , steam it with a knob of butter and its lovely even my daughter askes for seconds 
Alibean i think thats a great idea , something to think about and brighten up the place

[rockyracoon]

thanks for all the replies, I have a couple of nice containers about 14 inches deep by 14 inches diameter, how many seeds should I put in each pot?

[Lardman]

I just dug over the area I planted my bright lights in last year - the roots were bigger than my parsnips !

I'd guess 4 -5 plants at most in that size pot. depends if your growing for salad leaves from small young plants or huge stonking leaves to use like cabbage (which is what I did).  I put 16 in a 4x4 square and they covered the area very quickly despite my best efforts to eat them.

[rockyracoon]

lol, I've never tasted it, so if it grows like that I'm hoping the whole family will like it as well.  I'll put 4 per pot and see how I go and maybe in the boring bits of the garden for a bit of colour, mind then I'll have to watch where the dog pees!

[jazzbyrd]

Rocky if you like spinach you will like swiss chard. If anything I find swiss chard slighty milder. If you grow your chard to fairly big plants remember to cut the stem away from the leaf and either cook the stem separately or cook longer than the leaf. The bottom line is - cook it like spinach.
Its such a pretty vegetable its worth growing for affect too - it makes a lovely border plant in with flowers.
Jazz

[herbiegrowsbananas]

We eat Swiss Chard like baby spinach, it's yummy! If it gets too big it tastes too 'irony'.

And even if you forget to water it, it still grows, lol.

Herbie

[rhythmvick]

I'm growing swiss chard in tubs - two muedium sized plastic trugs. I sowed the seeds of one pretty thinly for mature plants, and one for a more cut-and-come-again style crop for yummy delicate stir-fry affairs.

Am using rainbow bright as well and hope it's offset nicely for the natty green colour of the trug! 

[Kristen]

I pull the stalks between my thumb & forefinger to strip off the leafy-part, treat the leaf part like spinach (as others have said) and then we have the stalks the following day cooked upright in an Asparagus steamer thingie.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks so much for all your replies, can't wait for it to grow now.