Flamingo Swiss Chard Seeds

Tall, bright pink stalks are deserving of this cultivar’s avian namesake. Fuchsia veins permeate dark green leaves making Flamingo Swiss Chard an edible ornamental that graces gardens and dinner plates elegantly. 

Flamingo Swiss Chard is a cool season crop that packs a nutritional punch, loaded with fibre, vitamins and minerals. This chard variety is cold hardy yet slow to bolt and tolerant of poor soil. Extremely versatile, Flamingo Swiss Chard grows well in containers and looks and tastes amazing grown as microgreens. Stalks and leaves bunched together will undoubtedly add interest and flair to bouquets and floral arrangements.

The tender greens can be harvested in 30 days for use in salads or in about 60 days, the stalks and leaves can be cut for a variety of applications such as soups, steaming and stir-frying. Gardeners will be hard pressed to find a green more pleasing to their sight and taste.

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

Swiss chard is a delight to grow in the home garden. The bright, electric colours dazzle and delight gardeners as much as a summer fireworks display. 

Seeds can be started inside three to four weeks before the last frost to get a head start on the growing season. Otherwise, direct sow into the garden one week after the last frost. Seeds should be planted 1 cm deep, covered and pressed firmly into place. Keep the soil consistently moist and germination will occur in about one week. 

Select a site that receives full sun and amend the space with compost before planting, as chard thrives in rich soil. Water liberally during hot spells to keep leaves lush and prevent wilting. A layer of mulch is very effective for retaining precious moisture while keeping competing weeds down. 

Leaves can be harvested when they reach 15-20 cm tall. Entire heads can be harvested with the crown left intact to allow for regrowth. Alternatively, outer stalks can be plucked casually as needed throughout the growing season. For a leafy green, chard is quite heat tolerant. But it truly shines as a cool weather crop, adding breathtaking colours and essential nutrients after other crops have been exhausted. 

Fresh Swiss chard should be washed and stored in the fridge in breathable plastic bags. Swiss chard doesn’t have the strong bitter taste associated with spinach and kale. When you grow your own Swiss chard, you can tap into your inner culinary artist by adding a splash of colours and serious nutrition to smoothies, stews, salads and pizza.

QUICK FACTS

- Swiss Chard seeds will remain viable for 4 years if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.