Have you ever wanted to enjoy the sweet taste of Swiss Chard without guilt? Worried about how to harvest it without accidentally killing the plant? Don’t stress! With a bit of TLC and some attentive harvesting techniques, you can enjoy the Swiss Chard’s deliciousness with a clear conscience.
Before you start harvesting, make sure you’re holding the right tools: a gardening shear and a pair of gardening gloves. You’ll also need a container to place the cut Swiss Chard in. With these in hand, you can begin the carefully harvesting process.
Start by measuring where the Swiss Chard can continue to grow if it’s not harvested. When feeling overwhelmed by worry, remember that Swiss Chard is a hardy plant. It can be cut low while still growing a whole new round of deliciousness!
Begin by cutting down the outside leaves of the Swiss Chard first, gradually working your way inwards. When you finally reach the center of the plant, be sure to look around for any miniature, yet fully-developed Swiss Chard plants that need to be harvested, too. Hey, no Chard should be left behind!
As you harvest, focus on removing the leaves—not the stems. The stems are integral to the Swiss Chard’s growth and should be left in the soil as much as possible. When you’ve removed the leaves from the stems, carefully transfer them into the container.
If you find some leaves are just too big for your cooking needs, feel free to cut those in half or third with the shears. But don’t forget to leave a smaller part of the leaf on the Swiss Chard plant so it can continue to grow!
In conclusion, Swiss Chard is both an easy and tricky vegetable to harvest. Follow the steps above and you won’t have to worry about killing the plant. With a little patience and attention, you can have a healthy Swiss Chard plant and tasty Chard for months to come. Happy harvesting!