We plant “Bright Lights” mix, which will include Chard with multicolored stems. You may see pink, red, yellow, white, or green stems and veins, the leaves will be green, red, or purple and slightly savoyed (wrinkled).
Harvest:
Harvest when chard has developed at least 3 or 4 leaves about the size of your hand.
Harvest by snapping or cutting off the outermost leaves of the plant. Harvest your way up the stalk leaving at least 4 leaves in the center to continue photosynthesizing and producing.
Continue to harvest chard throughout the season as it continues to produce more leaves.
End of the harvest:
Chard prefers the cool weather but is more tolerant than other greens of the heat. Still, after a long season or a significant weather change, chard will bolt, or flower, which turns the flavor bitter and the leaves tough.
Storage and handling:
Bunches of chard wrapped in paper towels in a ziplock bag in the fridge will keep for a week or more.
Prepared chard (de-stemmed and chopped) will keep in a tupperware in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
If leaves begin to wilt but otherwise smell and look fine, trim the stems and place them in a cup of water, like you would cut flowers, for a day.
Recipe ideas:
Chard leaves and stems are usually cooked separately, but both are edible!
Prepare leaves as you would spinach. Younger leaves are better raw for salads (and don’t have to be de-stemmed), older leaves are delicious cooked with onion, garlic, and a splash of vinegar.
Chop colorful chard stems up and prepare like you would asparagus - bake, broil, or sauté with olive oil and top with a squeeze of lemon juice.
If using stems and leaves for the same dish, make sure to add the stems first as they will take longer to cook!