Chard, Ruby

This bright, red-stemmed chard grows well as a full-sized plant or can be harvested young for its tender baby leaves. Ruby chard adds an ornamental kick to the garden so I love to find it a spot in the corner or right up front in the bed so that it can be shown off. The leaves tend to be a little bit smaller than some of its cousins and the stems smaller for a more dainty green.

Chard: Chard is a great way to bring color and flavor into the garden! It is the same species as beets, but has been bred to grow a continuous supply of larger, more flavorful leaves rather than an edible root.

Growing Tips: Chard does a great job of handling many different soil types and even part shade. Plant transplant 6 to 12 inches apart. I like to put them at the edges of the beds to showcase their colorful stems and ensure they are accessible. Chard can be continuously harvested all season long by taking the larger leaves and keeping the youngest 4 to 5 leaves on the plant.