Cool-season produce

Swiss chard

Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris Cicla Group

Also known as Chard · Silverbeet

Cut outer stalks without stripping the growing crown. More heat tolerant than spinach, but quality is best in cool weather.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyAmaranthaceae

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowSeptember–January; fall planting gives the longest cool-season harvest.

How to plantDirect sow or transplant; thin multigerm seedlings.

Plant spacing8–12 in

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestAbout 60–90 days for full leaves; baby leaves sooner

SuccessionOne planting yields repeatedly; add a second sowing in late fall.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestRepeated leaf and stalk harvest from late fall into spring.

Right plant, right place

Will Swiss chard grow at your Arizona property?

Cut outer stalks without stripping the growing crown. More heat tolerant than spinach, but quality is best in cool weather.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.