Swiss Chard, Bright Lights (Fall)

Swiss Chard, Bright Lights (Fall)
Sun Preference
Full-Sun, Part-Sun
As low as: $0.00

Description

Closely related to beets, this variety is excellent for both ornamental and culinary purposes; arching, crinkled green leaves are supported by leaf stalks of red, yellow, orange, and white, create a colorful edging; leaves and stalks are great for salads

Direct from the Grower

When you see the Gerten Grown logo on our annuals, you know you're getting a fresh plant directly from our greenhouse. We've been perfecting our growing process for over four generations and pride ourselves on providing local quality and freshness to our customers. Better pricing on better quality plant material, that's Gerten Grown. 

Keeping Baskets & Containers Fresh

Grow Your Best

Thriving in Shade: Tips for Low Light

Help and Advice

Details

Height: 24 inches

Spread: 18 inches

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: (annual)

Group/Class: Cicla Group

Description:

Closely related to beets, this variety is excellent for both ornamental and culinary purposes; arching, crinkled green leaves are supported by leaf stalks of red, yellow, orange, and white, create a colorful edging; leaves and stalks are great for salads

Edible Qualities

Bright Lights Swiss Chard is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities, although it does have ornamental merits as well. The entire above-ground parts of the plant are edible, and are usually harvested from early to late summer. The edible parts have a mild taste and a crisp texture.

The plant is most often used in the following ways:

  • Fresh Eating
  • Cooking

Planting & Growing

Bright Lights Swiss Chard will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop. Because of its relatively short time to maturity, it lends itself to a series of successive plantings each staggered by a week or two; this will prolong the effective harvest period.

This plant is quite ornamental as well as edible, and is as much at home in a landscape or flower garden as it is in a designated vegetable garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Bright Lights Swiss Chard is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

More Information

Common Family Name Chard
Sun Preference Full-Sun, Part-Sun
Plant Life Cycle Annual
Mature Height (Range) 7-12"
Mature Spread (Range) Under 12"

Product Questions (9)

Gertens carries annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, water plants, house plants, edibles, cacti/succulents, seasonal blooming holiday plants and a wide variety of bulbs and seeds!
Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season (spring – fall/frost). Perennials are plants that live for more than two growing seasons. They die back in winter and re-emerge in spring. ...
Hardiness is the capacity of a cultivated plant to withstand adverse conditions, usually its tolerance of low temperature. Plants are given a hardiness rating by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 11 zones based on the coldest or warmest temperature...
Yes, you can overwater plants. Especially in pots but also in the ground, however, planting in the ground allows for better water dispersion so the odds of overwatering are less. Low lying areas may be more prone to flooding. Areas with clay soil also...
A rough estimate for the last frost date here in zone 4b is the first week of May. This is not exact, as Minnesota weather can be variable, but it does help for plantings.
Use ant repellents.  Terro = Grease Ants Revenge = Garden Ants NOTE: Before bringing...
Root stimulators provide a hormone to the root system to recover faster from any damage done during the transplant process. This will also help the roots grow faster and stronger. To view Gertens recommended root stimulator, click ...
Full sun is six or more hours of direct sunlight (Note: afternoon sun is the hottest). West side: plants that like it hot and dry.  Part sun is four to six hours of sunlight including some afternoon...
Mulch helps stabilizes soil moisture and temperature. Gertens experts recommend Red Cedar mulch, from that fact that the cedar oil repels soft body insects. Place mulch 2 ...
loader
Loading...