(Backyard Gardener - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Hello Mid-Ohio Valley farmers and gardeners! September is almost gone. Cooler temperature are now the norm as the leaves turn color and yes, the first frost of the year looms on the horizon. As the harvest continues, remember fall is a great time to test your soil in the garden, lawn, or in crop and pasture fields. Send your samples to the WVU Soil Testing Lab in Morgantown.

Soil testing is a free service for West Virginia citizens, so take advantage of it. It does cost extra if you want the organic matter tested or need to know trace mineral values. Apply agriculture lime, fertilizers, compost or aged manure this fall so it can incorporate into the soil over winter and you will be ready to start the growing season next spring!

This week I want to talk about planting Swiss chard, spinach and other cool season crops in the backyard garden. Understanding the relationship of crops to temperature is critical to achieving success in the fall garden.

Spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce and other greens are great choices because they love cool weather. Many cool season vegetable seeds germinate best when soil temperatures are 45 to 68.

Recommendations are to plant cool season crops about four to eight weeks before your average last frost date in the spring and six to eight weeks before the average first frost date in the fall. Two crops per year can be achieved if you plant spring and fall.

Leafy greens are chock full of good nutrients we need, including essential minerals and vitamins. Spinach and Swiss chard can grow new leaves after the first harvest, especially if you harvest individual leaves at the “baby” stage, so multiple harvests are possible. You can cook spinach and Swiss chard, as well as eat them raw.

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) is a great choice for the fall garden and can also be a summer time replacement for spinach. Many backyard gardeners have developed a liking for Swiss chard and have learned to cook with it simply because it is a reliable crop.

Swiss chard is a biennial, so it will not flower until the plant has lived through a winter. Hence, there is no danger of it bolting in the summer heat.

However, chard performs best in cooler weather. In the summer, its growth will slow, but as long as the soil does not dry out, it will still grow leaves. When cool weather returns in September, the plants quickly develop many leaves.

Many backyard gardeners are disappointed when growing spinach because they plant too late in the spring, so try some Swiss chard and plant again in the fall and then add some spinach.

Actually, Swiss chard is in the same family as spinach and is closely related to beets. Many say its flavor is similar to spinach and it can be used in many recipes as a replacement. However, unlike spinach, it is slow to bolt (flower) and can stay in the ground right through the hottest part of the summer producing succulent leaves for many recipes.

Although Swiss chard is very closely related to beets, it does not form a root bulb. The veins on its leaves (called midribs) and its stalks (called petioles) come in a rainbow of colors. The leaves can look quite similar to beet greens, but have prominent, enlarged midribs and are borne on stout petioles.

Swiss chard over the years has been called silver beet, leaf beet, seakettle beet and spinach beet. This beautiful, large-leaf biennial vegetable with wide flat stems resembles celery. The Ruby variety is especially stunning with its’ vivid red stem with broad dark green leaves. The flavor is mild yet earthy and sweet with slightly bitter undertones.

Many Americans lack essential mineral in their diet and the large leafy portions of this vegetable contain magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Recent research has reveals that Swiss chard is very efficient at moving minerals from the soil up into its leaves, providing us with the healthy benefits.

Swiss chard was not developed in Switzerland. Its origins are traced back to regions around the Mediterranean and most likely was developed from wild beets. The word “Swiss” was used to distinguish chard from French charde or chardon by 19th century seed catalogs and the name stuck.

Prized for its medicinal properties and culinary versatility, ancestors of this colorful vegetable supposedly grew in the fabled Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They also were cultivated in China during the 7th century BC and were written about by Aristotle in ancient Greece.

It has been grown in Great Britain since at least 1596 when English botanist John Gerard recorded growing it in his famous book “Herball; General Historie of Plantes.” Its name comes from the Latin word for ‘thistle’ (carduus).

Swiss chard prefers well-drained soils and full sun, although it will tolerate some shade. If you have low organic matter soils you can work compost into the soil before planting. It can be transplanted but direct seeding is the most common way to start chard.

Plant the seeds a half-inch deep and 4-6 inches apart. Thin to about a foot apart when the plants are easy to handle. Rows should be 12 inches apart. Most varieties are mature in 55-65 days.

Common chard has green leaves and white petiole and midribs but petiole and midrib colors vary from white to yellow, orange, red or green. Leaves may be green, bronze or purple. There many varieties of Swiss chard to choose from. Bright Lights is a 1998 All-American Selection improved for its stem colors. The petioles can be white, yellow, gold, orange, pink, red or striped.

Fordhook Giant grows 24-28 inches tall has broad, thick white midribs and petioles, with heavily crinkled, dark green leaves. Lucullus is an older variety that produces very broad and thick, white or pale green petioles. Rainbow is a blend of several colored varieties.

Rhubarb produces crumpled, dark green leaves with deep red veins. The petioles are bright crimson red and slightly flattened. Finally, ‘Silverado’ is a compact green variety that only grows 14-16 inches tall.

Swiss chard doesn’t have to be relegated only to the vegetable garden. The brightly colored petioles and wide, dark green leaves are quite attractive and are easily incorporated into the landscape as an annual ornamental foliage plant. Position chard plants with their bold foliage near plants with small or fine leaves for textural contrast.

Swiss chard is quite cold tolerant and will continue to grow in the garden through frosts until temperatures drop to the mid-20s. A cold frame or low tunnel usually ensures fresh chard well into December in West Viginia.

Swiss chard can be harvested when the leaves reach full size or any time after they form. Older leaves are often stripped off the plants first, allowing the young leaves to grow. A 10-foot row of Swiss chard will produce 8-12 pounds. Swiss chard can be stored for one to two weeks if refrigerated.

Chard is a tender green and benefits from a brief cooking period. Wilted greens are simply sauted in oil, covered and cooked without adding any cooking liquid. Tender greens such as beet greens and spinach can also be prepared in this manner. Young tender chard leaves can be eaten raw adding a beet-like flavor to salads and sandwiches.

Chard can be used in place of spinach in any recipe, although chard will need to be cooked a bit longer. When cooking older chard, the stems require longer cooking time than the leaves. Similar to spinach, chard stores well in the refrigerator or can be blanched and frozen for later use.

Need more information about growing Swiss chard or have other agriculture related questions? Contact me at the Wood County WVU Extension Office at 304-424-1960 or jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu with questions. Until next time, Good Luck and Happy Gardening!