I planted the darn things way back on May 7th, so they've had 3.5 months to grow. Several varieties too... 2 square feet of vulcan (dark red), one of giant fordhook (white), one of bright lights (yellow, pink, white). Each square foot was planted with multiple seedlings, but I was going to thin it down to 5 each for a total of 20 plants. I was going to have salad greens (and stir-fry greens, and smoothie greens) aplenty, more than my husband and I could eat. Even after a few replantings, all I have left over is just one delicate little vulcan chard!
5 inches tall after over 3 months of effort.
It is true that I started the plants too late... by the time the seedlings were surviving the digging cat's attacks, it was much warmer and chard is a cool-weather plant that prefers to be planted 2 weeks after the last frost. I really, really want it to work... so today I started a bunch of seeds for transplanting, and I will just try again. And again. And again. I must have chard. I WILL have chard! The season will end in violence if I can't grow a healthy patch of chard.
Despite my lack of success, this plant is still a beautiful little splash of color in my first real garden. It is not attracting any pests at all, and the contrast between veins and leaves has me a bit giddy. If only one chard could come up, I'd have it be the vulcan. :)
Live long and prosper, little one!
And yes, I am fully aware that "vulcan" in this case is more related to fire than Star Trek.
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