Swiss Chard – Giant Fordhook

An old European variety cultivated since the 1920s, the Fordhook Swiss chard is eaten as spinach, raw or cooked. The Fordhook cultivar produces long crisp white petioles and beautiful dark green foliage that can reach 70 cm. Good tolerance to summer heat and light frost.

Growing tips

Conditions of germination:

depth of sowing: 1.5 cm

optimal temperatures of germination: 10 to 30 ºC

time for germination: 5 to 10 days

When to sow:

direct seeding when the soil can be worked in the spring (about 2 weeks before the last spring frost in your area) or when the soil temperature is around 7-8ºC

successive sowing every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest until August for a fall harvest

Sowing technique: in pocket

In the same hole, sow 3 to 5 seeds spaced about 1 to 2 cm apart; when the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have reached a height of 5 cm, keep all the plants if space is available or keep only the best plants.

Distance in the garden:

between plants: 15 to 30 cm

between rows: 45 cm

Height of the plants: 50 to 70 cm

Soil: cool and well drained

Water: regular watering

Exposure: full sun, but also tolerates light shade in summer

Days to harvest: 25 to 30 for young leaves and 50 to 60 for mature leaves

Specificity: harvest the leaves by cutting them slightly above the base of the plants and starting with the largest ones on the outside

sow more tightly for consumption of young shoots

continuous production until frost

grows well in pots

QUICK STATS

Number of seeds: ±250

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Heirloom / Open pollinated

Lifecycle:Biennial

Additional information

Weight            5 g

Difficulty         

Easy

Sowing          

Direct, Indoor

Lifecycle        

Biennial

Root cellar     

No

Sowing season        

Spring, Summer, Fall