Harvest outer leaves continuously for weeks of production
Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.
| Zone | Last Frost | Start Indoors | Transplant | Direct Sow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2A | May 30 | May 2 | May 16 | May 2 |
| Zone 3B | May 15 | Apr 17 | May 1 | Apr 17 |
| Zone 4A | May 8 | Apr 10 | Apr 24 | Apr 10 |
| Zone 4B | May 1 | Apr 3 | Apr 17 | Apr 3 |
| Zone 5A | Apr 25 | Mar 28 | Apr 11 | Mar 28 |
| Zone 5B | Apr 18 | Mar 21 | Apr 4 | Mar 21 |
| Zone 6A | Apr 21 | Mar 24 | Apr 7 | Mar 24 |
| Zone 6B | Apr 10 | Mar 13 | Mar 27 | Mar 13 |
| Zone 7A | Apr 5 | Mar 8 | Mar 22 | Mar 8 |
| Zone 7B | Mar 28 | Feb 28 | Mar 14 | Feb 28 |
| Zone 8A | Mar 20 | Feb 20 | Mar 6 | Feb 20 |
| Zone 8B | Mar 12 | Feb 12 | Feb 26 | Feb 12 |
| Zone 9A | Feb 28 | Jan 31 | Feb 14 | Jan 31 |
| Zone 9B | Feb 15 | Jan 18 | Feb 1 | Jan 18 |
| Zone 10A | Feb 1 | Jan 4 | Jan 18 | Jan 4 |
| Zone 10B | Jan 15 | Dec 18 | Jan 1 | Dec 18 |
| Zone 11A | Jan 1 | Dec 4 | Dec 18 | Dec 4 |
Swiss chard is one of the most productive and ornamental vegetables you can grow. Its colorful stems — red, yellow, orange, white — add beauty to the garden while delivering harvests for months.
Good companions: beans, onions, brassicas, tomatoes
Avoid planting near: beets (same family — shares pests and diseases)
50-60 days from seed; harvest outer leaves continuously