[JaK]

I wouldn't mind trying to grow swiss chard but before I decide to or not I need to know if caterpillars and butterflies are attracted to it. I cannot grow many brassicas at a time here as they get decimated if i do. Does chard need covering so they don't get eaten?

[arugula]

I'm trying it for the first time this year. I understand its very similar to spinach which I've grown for years. Have you grown spinach JaK?

[JayG]

Swiss chard is not a member of the brassica family so it doesn't suffer from attacks by the cabbage white butterfly.

I have found that mine tends to get leaf miner at certain times of the year, and of course there is always a danger from wood pigeons, although I don't think it's one of their favourites! 

[jazzbyrd]

I grow Swiss chard every year and have never had problems with it. I let it grow out in the open. even the pigeons leave it alone...however I do cover it with fleece or chicken wire cloche in it's early stages. its such a great "value for money" crop as it is a cut and come again vegetable. It lasts all summer and right into winter too. A harsh winter will kill it though. I always sow a fresh lot every spring.

Jazz

[JaK]

I'm trying it for the first time this year. I understand its very similar to spinach which I've grown for years. Have you grown spinach JaK?

No I havn't.
My children spotted the rainbow chard in the seed catalouges and want to grow it. Thought we could grow a few tubs of it (old recycling boxes), I like to be able to say yes when the children want to try something new but was worried they might be a brassica. Thankyou JayG for putting me straight. We may as well give chard a go this year.  

[Lardman]

Most pests left mine alone.

It was one of the few things that wasn't decimated by birds, slugs or caterpillars. As JayG I had a little leaf miner damage but nothing worth worrying about.

I put 12 plants in a 4x4' block and it was more than enough to keep me supplied all season.

[prakash_mib]

It looks a fantastic coloured veg. (in pictures... of course)
I am growing it first time this year for my front patio garden.
can somebody please tell me how it can be sown? (am not hijacking  )
I have a problem sowing directly for the fear of cats (the patio garden is covered now)
thinking of sowing in tubs/cups/plugs anything indoors/ greenhouse and transplanting during later stages. Will it work?
and what is the best time to sow? 

[Kristen]

I cover mine (and the Brassicas) with scaffolders Debris Netting.  I've not had a problem with Ruby Chard, but the white stemmed and some of the multi-coloured stemmed, was decimated by something - Pigeons I would think (plot netted against rabbits etc, the Ruby alongside was left alone) - so since then I've decided that netting is better than potentially losing the crop!

can somebody please tell me how it can be sown? (am not hijacking  )
I have a problem sowing directly for the fear of cats (the patio garden is covered now)
thinking of sowing in tubs/cups/plugs anything indoors/ greenhouse and transplanting during later stages. Will it work?

I start of pretty much all my veg in seed trays / small pots, and I've not had a problem with planting out Chard as a small plant. We also grow some in the greenhouse border - planted in the Autumn, to provide an early Spring crop. We do put a lot of plants in the greenhouse - as it doesn't grow all that quickly in the Winter, so recovery rate is slower than the outdoor crop.

[Lardman]

I started mine in modules - 12 to a 1/2 tray, 1 seed per cell and remove the weaker seedlings. Plant out when you can, they seemed to hold well in the cells, I put mine in after the first early spuds came up.

[DD.]

1 seed per cell and remove the weaker seedlings.

Typo?

[prakash_mib]

1 seed per cell and remove the weaker seedlings.

Typo?

its a cluster seed DD. (like beetroot) 

[NASH]

I sowed 3 varieties into 1/2" deep seed compost on rock hard earth as I dont dig any soil, I had a good crop through the summer and autumn, most of it was decimated during December with ice and snow but I picked a bunch yesterday of new shoots.  

[DD.]

1 seed per cell and remove the weaker seedlings.

Typo?

its a cluster seed DD. (like beetroot) 

Ah!

I'm trying it for the first time this year, (after seeing it at Heligan), & I've not opened the packet yet!

[mumofstig]

Did you buy the silver one, or pretty coloured one?

IMO the silver chards make a much stronger plant and have just started resprouting

[DD.]

Bought the Ruby Chard from Heligan (that's all they had), and then the Bright Lights after we got home as Mrs Digger wanted "pretty".