Harvest guide

Swiss chard harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Chard is one of the longest-cropping greens. Sow in spring and again in midsummer and you can pick leaves for most of the year.

Days to harvest: 50 days from sowing(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: March–November(RHS)
Typical yield: 3.4 kg per 3 m row (7.5 lb per 10 ft)(Mississippi State University Extension)
Spacing: 30 cm (12 in) apart, rows 45 cm (18 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Amaranthaceae (amaranth family)
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (Cicla group)

Swiss chard planting and harvest calendar

Sow March–August. Harvest March–November.(RHS)

Swiss chard season timeline

Sow
Harvest

Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Harvest

When to harvest chard

Pick outer leaves with their whole stalk, cutting at the base, and leave the central leaves to grow on.(RHS)
Established plants at least 20 cm (8 in) tall can be cut right down, leaving about 5 cm (2 in) so they regrow.(RHS)

How often to pick

Take light pickings whenever plants have plenty of leaves. Regular picking encourages new growth.(RHS)

How many chard to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) (scaled from 75 lb per 100 ft).(Mississippi State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating chard fresh, plan on about 6–12 m (20–40 ft) of row(University of Missouri Extension). That should give roughly 7–14 kg (15–30 lb)(Mississippi State University Extension).

To preserve or store some as well, allow 3–4.6 m (10–15 ft) of row per person.(University of Missouri Extension)

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your chard

Chard only lasts a few days in the fridge. Harvest when it's cool, rinse in cold water and refrigerate straight away.(University of Minnesota Extension)
The stalks keep longer if you separate them from the leaves.(University of Maine Cooperative Extension)

Track it

Log every swiss chard harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of chard by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.