A small amount of sea beet can still be found growing wild at the back of beaches along the Solway Firth, with occasional sites further up the west coast as far as Orkney and a few patches in the south-east from Berwickshire to Dundee.
Swiss chard has inherited the naturally occurring compound betaine from sea beet. Betaine is an osmoregulator molecule which helps the cells of some plants cope with slightly saline conditions. A plant growing in brackish water is damaged by losing some of the water from its cells to the surrounding saltier water. The opposite applies with fresh rain water. In this case, plant cells absorb the liquid too quickly and burst.
This explains why how plants are adapted to grow near the coast or close to roads salted in winter.
Swiss chard is a must for the garden. It can take up very little space, with a square metre providing a goodly supply of fresh leaves over a long period. And some varieties like Bright Lights are a welcome addition to any flower bed. Growing to around half a metre, a plant’s red, yellow and maroon stems make a fine feature. Just be sure to plant close to the edge for easy picking – assuming you can pick without destroying the plant’s visual impact!
I usually make three sowings a year so I can pick from March to November.
At the end of August, I’ll put some seedlings in a sheltered part of the garden and the rest in the polytunnel. It’s worth providing cloche protection in the garden and, against the odds, the wee plants will soldier back into life in early spring. And while it’s no warmer in the tunnel than outdoors over winter, the young plants will be spared the extremities of wind and rain, and reward you with a much earlier crop.
A second sowing in late winter/early spring allows for succession, with a third planting in early summer to keep the supply going. As an extra bonus, the plant doesn’t bolt during a hot summer, so it’s much more reliable than spinach.
And as a major bonus for me, molluscs don’t share my love of chard. They’ll reliably pass these young seedlings as they slither towards overwintering lettuce and endives. Slugs aren’t interested in the vitamins, magnesium, potassium and iron, not to mention fibre and antioxidants in these tasty leaves.
Plant of the week
Pelargonium ‘Lady Mary (Image: unknown)
Pelargonium ‘Lady Mary’ has very pretty pink flowers with deeper pink veining that are produced over a long period. The plant is compact, only growing to about 30 cm and the small, fresh green leaves are scented with lime.