Swiss chard is a vegetable that is very present in oriental cuisine, but it also appears in some Brazilian dishes, mainly in leaf salads. It can appear with leaves in shades of green or reddish and the most common colorations of its stem are white, yellow and red.
These leaves are crunchy and can be eaten raw, baked or sautéed. If you want to know more about the benefits and how to grow chard, then keep reading!
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Your benefits
Swiss chard has a low caloric content: 20kcal in 100g of leaves and a high nutritional value. It is a source of vitamins and minerals, which help the body to function properly, such as:
- Vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and fights free radicals;
- Vitamin K, prevents atherosclerosis and the formation of plaque in the arteries;
- Calcium, which helps with neuromuscular functions and stimulates bone density;
- Magnesium and potassium, essential minerals for the proper functioning of the heart and nerve cells.
how to cultivate
Because it is a plant that likes a mild climate and medium temperatures, the ideal time to plant them is between spring and autumn.
You will need to moisten the seeds, so place them in water for about 48 hours. After that time, it is already possible to take them to the soil: this must be well drained, rich in nutrients and with a pH around 6.5 (slightly acidic).
The bed chosen to plant them must have a few hours of sunlight per day, but mainly in partial shade as the plant does not support much heat.
When everything is ready, dig a hole 2.5 cm deep in the ground and place 2 seeds per hole, remembering to leave 8 cm between them. Thus, seeds usually germinate in 10 days.
Pay attention to the watering, as the soil must always remain moist, but not soaked and it is good to fertilize every 20 days.
About harvesting, it should be done in the first year of cultivation since from the second year the plant enters the reproduction stage and its leaves become hard and bitter.
If you like growing tips, read more here!
