COLOURED SWISS CHARD
Other Common Names Include:
Rainbow Swiss chard, Calico mixed Swiss chard
Latin Name: Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla
Plant Family: Amaranthaceae
Close Relatives: Amaranth, spinach, beet
Uses and Markets: Culinary (e.g. leaves used in salads, stir-fries, sautéed or in casseroles)
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
None.
Propagation method
Direct seed (12 kg/ha).
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Early spring to early autumn.
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
10-20 cm
Between row spacing
30 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
10-16°C
Fertility
Ontario recommendations for nitrogen are 110 kg/ha on mineral soils and 55 kg/ha on muck soils. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Sandy loams, muck.
Soil pH
6.0-7.5 (mineral soils), 5.1-5.5 (muck soils).
Special requirements for growth habit
None
Optimal Temperature Range
18-24°C
Temperature sensitivity
Frost tolerant.
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation beneficial under normal Ontario conditions.
Days to harvest
50-70 days
Specialized equipment
None
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest (if whole plant is harvested), multiple harvests from the same planting possible (if only some leaves are harvested); successive plantings; multi-cropping possible. See glossary for details.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Hand harvest (e.g. by cutting individual stalks using outside ones first).
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
None
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Harvest during cooler parts of the day to reduce moisture loss and cooling costs. Remove field heat as soon as possible after harvest.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): 95-100%
Temperature: 0°C
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: 10-14 days
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: Aphids, leafminer, cabbage looper, beet webworm, snails
Diseases: Damping off, root rots, downy mildew, Cercospora leaf spot, cucumber mosaic virus
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Flea beetles, thrips
Diseases: Fusarium wilt, Phoma leaf spot
Other: none
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
All pests of conventional Swiss chard are likely to attack specialty varieties. IMPORTANT NOTE: Pest control products registered on spinach are not necessarily also registered for use on Swiss chard. This crop is in Crop Group 4: Leafy Vegetables (Except Brassica Vegetables) Group and subgroup 4B: Leaf Petioles Subgroup. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAF and MRA specialist. For pest control products registered on this crop refer to OMAFRA Publication 838.
None
- Elford, E., Filotas, M., Todd, J., and S. Westerveld. 2009. Non-traditional crops demonstration garden. OMAFRA Simcoe Resource Centre, unpublished.
- Howard, R.J., Garland, J.A., and W.L. Seaman (eds.). 1994. Diseases and pests of vegetable crops in Canada: an illustrated compendium. Canadian Phytopathological Society and the Entomological Society of Canada.
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 2010. Vegetable production recommendations. Publication 363, Queen’s Printer for Ontario, Toronto.
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 2012. Vegetable crop protection guide. Publication 838, Queen’s Printer for Ontario, Toronto.
- Munro, D.B., and E. Small. 1997. Vegetables of Canada. NRC Research Press, Ottawa.
