To harvest swiss chard regrowth, you need to pick the outer leaves first and leave the center of the plant alone to grow. Cut each leaf at the base of its stem about one inch above the soil level. This simple method keeps your plant alive and producing fresh greens for many months instead of just a few short weeks.
I have used this cut and come again chard method in my garden for the past five years with great results every single time. My plants produce fresh leaves from early spring all the way through the first hard frost of winter. One single plant gave me greens for seven months straight last season because I never took too many leaves at once from it.
The science behind this swiss chard harvesting technique comes down to how the plant grows from its center crown. Swiss chard pushes new leaves from a central growing point at the top of its root crown near the soil. When you remove only the older outer leaves, you leave that growing point untouched and ready to work. The plant responds by sending up more leaves from the center to replace what you took from the outside edges.
Start picking your chard when the outer leaves reach 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) in length from stem to tip. Leaves at this size taste the best and have the most tender texture for eating raw in salads or cooked in your favorite meals. Larger leaves work fine for cooking but they get tough and bitter if you let them grow too big on the plant in your garden.
Never take more than one-third of the plant in a single harvest session no matter how many leaves you need that day. This rule matters more than any other tip I can give you about growing chard in your garden. Taking too many leaves at once shocks the plant and slows down its ability to grow new ones for you. Your chard needs enough leaves to make food through sunlight and keep itself healthy and strong through the season.
Cut each stem at a slight angle about an inch from the soil surface using sharp tools every time you harvest. The angled cut helps water run off the wound so fungus and bacteria cannot grow there and cause rot. Use clean sharp scissors or a knife for the cleanest cuts that heal fastest on your plants. Dull blades crush the stems and make it harder for the plant to heal itself.
During the warm months when your plants grow fast, plan to harvest every 5 to 7 days to keep up with all the new leaves coming in. Picking on this schedule stops leaves from getting too large and tells your plant to keep making more. In cooler weather you can stretch this to every two weeks since growth slows down when the temperature drops outside.
I made the mistake of cutting my chard plants down to the ground during my first year of growing them in my backyard garden beds. They survived but took three weeks to start making new leaves again. Now I treat each plant like a living green factory that keeps running as long as I do not take too much at any one time from it.
Water your plants well after each harvest to help them bounce back fast. Add liquid fertilizer every few weeks to boost growth. With the right care your plants can feed you all season long from just a few square feet of garden space in your backyard.
Read the full article: How to Grow Swiss Chard Successfully
