Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard

Introduced in 1934 by W. Atlee Burpee and Co., this variety has broad, dark-green, heavily crumpled leaves with white veins and stalks. Plants grow 28" high with 2½" wide stalks and produce abundant crops all season.

• Conventional
• Very productive
• Plants grow to 28 inches
• Can be grown in containers

This variety works for:

• Fresh eating
• Steaming
• Sautéing
• Baking
• Freezing

If you plan on eating Swiss chard fresh, make sure you harvest very small leaves (generally under 3 inches) before they take on their strong flavor.

When preparing the chard, trim the leaf from the rib and chop the rib finely before adding it to the dish. The fibrous central rib is edible, but requires a little longer to cook.

Chard can be used as a substitute for spinach in most dishes and goes well with roasted meats, cream sauces, nutty cheeses, and tomatoes. Try adding chard to a gratin or serving it alongside Jerk chicken with red beans and rice.

Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in early spring when soil temperature is at least 50°F. Can also be started indoors 5-6 weeks before transplanting out. Grows best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. Swiss chard withstands light frost.

• Direct Seed: 4" Apart
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Rows Apart: 20-24"
• Thin: 12" Apart