Choosing which vegetables to grow often is driven by what your family likes to eat. Other factors to consider are grocery store prices compared to the costs of growing it yourself and the nutrition provided. Beets and chard are both high in value for the space they take up and the nutrition they provide.
Beet greens and chard provide calcium, iron, potassium and B vitamins and are a good source of fiber. They are excellent sources of vitamin A and C. These leafy vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked in endless dishes, soups and salads. Bitterness decreases with cooking or steaming.
Beet roots are an excellent source of folate and a good source of manganese. The roots can be peeled and grated to be eaten raw; boiled, roasted or steamed to be eaten warm; or cooked and pickled to be eaten cold as a condiment.
Beets and chard are considered cool-weather crops, ideal for fall and winter gardening. Pick a south-facing site in full sun with some protection from prevailing winds. Raised beds are a good choice because of improved drainage from winter rains.
Covering plants with a cloche, cold frame or row cover will protect them from freezing and shield them from excessive rain. Do not fertilize these crops in fall because too much nitrogen will encourage water-filled tissue, which increases the possibility of freezing.
Plant fall and winter crops from June to early August. Spacing recommendations are 4 inches apart for beets and 9 inches apart for chard.
Both are considered short-season crops with time to maturity ranging from 50-80 days.
Overwintered crops often will re-sprout to provide an early spring harvest of greens before going to seed.
Beets also can be planted early in the spring whereas chard is successful in any season. Both can be started indoors for earlier harvests and will germinate at soil temperatures between 40-50 degrees. For successive plantings, start a new row of seeds every three weeks.
Recommended varieties of beets include Red Ace, Early Wonder Tall Top, Detroit Dark Red, Lutz Greenleaf (Winterkeeper), Cylindra (elongated root), Golden (yellow) and ‘hioggia’ (distinctive root with red and white rings).
Recommended varieties of Swiss chard include Bright Lights (a mix of different colored stalks), Rhubarb (red stalk) and Fordhook Giant (white stalk).
When companion planting, beets have a complimentary root pattern with kohlrabi and chard’s roots are non-competitive with cucumber. Beets, chard and spinach are closely related and should not be planted following one another in rotation.
Thin beet plants early to prevent overcrowding. Watch for evidence of leaf miners and flea beetles; discard affected leaves. Avoid overwatering to prevent fungal diseases.
Harvest beet greens at any time and beet roots when they are 2-2.5 inches in diameter; any bigger and they start to get woody.
Harvest chard any time after the leaves become available, leaving the undeveloped leaves to mature or eating them while they are tender and young. If harvesting the whole chard plant, cut the head above the base of the roots and another plant often will regrow.
Other values realized from home-grown vegetables are in the eye of the beholder but it is hard for anyone to resist home-canned pickled beets in winter and colorful rainbow chard in any season. So give them a try!
Pearl of wisdom (Youth tested and approved)
Getting kids to eat healthy greens can be a daunting task.
Add chopped chard to mashed potatoes to add vibrant color and interest while masking strong flavors. ‘Bright Lights’ chard is a particularly colorful way to jazz up those spuds.
And more
For more gardening information, attend the Brown Bag Series at the Clallam County Courthouse. These free educational events are held at noon on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.
On Sept. 8, local gardener Pam Larsen talks about deciphering the language of plant communication.
Michele Mangiantini is a WSU-certified Clallam County Master Gardener.
