Chard
Chard is a flavorful addition to any salad, and the taste of its cooked
tops rivals that of spinach. This sturdy vegetable is both heat and
drought resistant, and grows right up until frost. It is also packed with
vitamins, and its attractive color makes it a good decorative plant.
-Planting: While chard is adaptable to a wide variety of soil types and
exposures, it will do poorly in an acid soil, preferring a high pH level.
Seeds should be sewn as soon as the ground can be worked, and spaced 1
inch apart in rows 18-25 inches apart.
-Growing: Thin seedlings 1 foot apart, with an occasional application of
high-nitrogen fertilizer to encourage growth.
-Harvesting: As plants mature, pick the outer leaves and prepare as is,
or separate the midrib from the leaves and serve like asparagus. If all
the leaves from the plant are not picked the row will last all summer. For
pickings after the first hard frost, place protective caps over the
plants.
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