1# FORDHOOK SWISS CHARD SEED

Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris) is a classic, hardy leaf vegetable prized for its large, tender green leaves and thick white stalks. It’s one of the most reliable and productive chard varieties for home gardens.

🌱 Variety Overview

• Type: Swiss chard

• Leaf Color: Deep green, crinkled

• Stem Color: Bright white

• Plant Height: 18–24 inches

• Days to Maturity: ~50–60 days (baby leaves sooner)

• Use: Sautéing, steaming, soups, stir‑fries, fresh leaves

✅ Why Grow Fordhook Giant

• Very productive and long‑lasting harvest

• Heat‑tolerant and cold‑hardy

• Large leaves with mild, slightly sweet flavor

• Excellent cut‑and‑come‑again variety

• Overwinters well in mild climates and under protection

This is one of the best all‑purpose Swiss chards for home gardeners.

🌤️ Growing Conditions

• Season: Cool‑season to warm‑tolerant crop

• Sun: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil: Fertile, well‑drained soil rich in organic matter

• Soil pH: 6.0–7.5

• Temperature: Grows well from 50–85°F

✅ More heat‑tolerant than spinach.

🌾 Planting Instructions

• When to Plant:

  • Early spring as soon as soil can be worked

  • Late summer for fall harvest

• How to Plant:

  • Depth: ½ inch

  • Spacing: 2 inches apart; thin to 8–12 inches

  • Rows: 18–24 inches apart

🌱 Seeds are clusters—multiple plants may sprout from one “seed.”

💧 Care & Maintenance

• Keep soil evenly moist

• Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds

• Light feeding with compost or balanced fertilizer

• Tolerates light frosts; flavor improves in cool weather

🥬 Harvesting

• Begin cutting outer leaves when they reach 6–8 inches

• Leave the center growing point intact

• Harvest regularly for continuous production

• Whole plants can be cut late in the season

🍴 Cooking & Nutrition

• Mild flavor, less earthy than beet greens

• Stalks and leaves both edible

• Rich in vitamins A, C, K, magnesium, and iron

• Excellent substitute for spinach in cooked dishes

🌿 Companion Plants

• Beans

• Lettuce

• Onions

• Radishes

(Avoid planting near beets—same pest pressures.)