Swiss chard rainbow: The best colorful varieties to grow

There are many reasons to grow Swiss chard in your garden. Not only is it a versatile green that is delicious raw and cooked, it’s also easy to grow, very productive, and available in a wide variety of vibrant colors. It’s fun to grow a Swiss chard rainbow in garden beds and containers and you’ll enjoy tender leaves from spring through late autumn. In this article you’ll get chard growing tips and discover the most colorful varieties to plant.

Why grow a Swiss chard rainbow in your garden

I just touched on a few of my favorite reasons to plant Swiss chard, but there are more. Yes it’s easy to grow. And yes it’s got a great taste. Yes it’s super versatile and you can enjoy chard leaves as baby greens as well as full-sized for cooked dishes. Yes the plants produce for months, not weeks like lettuce and spinach. But most importantly, there are so many outstanding varieties that yield a Swiss chard rainbow. You’ll find more information on the many bold and beautiful varieties of Swiss chard below.

What is Swiss chard? 

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subspecies. cicla) is a cool season vegetable related to beets and spinach. It’s grown for its nutritious leaves and crunchy stalks with the large vase-shaped plants growing up to 3 feet tall. Chard stems come in a range of brilliant colors including red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. The leaves, which typically have a crinkly texture, also offer a visual treat in shades of medium to deep green as well as red to burgundy-bronze. 

Learn more about growing a Swiss chard rainbow in this video:

The best varieties to grow for a Swiss chard rainbow

There are two ways to enjoy a Swiss chard rainbow in your garden. The first option is to buy a rainbow-themed seed packet like Bright Lights. The second is to plant an assortment of individual colors for a custom blend. Below you’ll discover some of the best Swiss chard varieties to grow. 

Rainbow varieties

• Bright Lights – This award-winning variety is the classic rainbow chard and was introduced to gardeners in 1998 by Johnny’s Selected Seeds. It’s become the standard for its dazzling array of pink, gold, crimson, orange, and white stems and green to bronze leaves. 
• Kaleidoscopic Blend – Enjoy a wide range of chard hues with this blend, exclusive to Kitchen Garden Seeds. Each seed packet includes Peppermint, Lucullus, Golden Sunrise, Magenta Sunset, Classic Rhubarb, and Orange Chiffon. 
• Peacock Formulated Blend – High Mowing Seeds offers their own rainbow chard mix that includes varieties with pink, white, red, and gold stems. The varieties are evenly distributed to ensure consistent color in the garden. 
• Neon Glow – Not quite a full rainbow, Neon Glow showcases two outstanding varieties for a perfect garden pairing. The combination of pink stems and gold stems will elevate your summer meals. 

Gold varieties

• Heart of Gold – For the past two years I’ve enjoyed growing this bolt-resistant variety with glowing golden petioles and dark crinkly leaves. A standout in spring, summer, and autumn.
• Oriole – Starting off yellow, the sunny stems of Oriole mature to a bright orange adding a flash of color to garden beds. 
• Orange Chiffon – A recent introduction, this vigorous variety grows up to two feet tall and has tangerine hued stalks and bright green leaves.

Pink varieties

• Peppermint – Peppermint is one of my essential chards because of the electric pink and white striped stems that are almost too pretty to eat. This variety is also bolt resistant, disease tolerant, and incredibly productive. 
• Magenta Sunset – Another stunner, this chard deserves a place in every garden bed. The magenta-pink stems are topped with crinkled dark green leaves that mature to 24 inches tall. 
• Pink Passion – Add a pop of pink to your garden with Pink Passion Swiss chard. The brightly colored leaves stand out in both food and flower beds. 

Red varieties

• Charbell – Bred for a baby leaf crop, Charbell produces a heavy crop of crinkled green leaves with bold red stems. However, I find this is also a great variety for mature chard as the plants are bolt-resistant and last many months in the garden.
• Ruby Red – There’s a reason this is a classic chard. Not only do the plants produce vibrant red stalks, but the foliage is also a showstopper with leaves ranging from dark green to bronze.
• Rhubarb Supreme – This improved take on Rhubarb chard offers better bolt resistance, rich red stems, and curly dark green leaves. Because of its heat tolerance, it’s the best red variety to grow for summer harvesting. 

White varieties

• Silverado – Perhaps white stemmed chard doesn’t sound as exciting as pink or red types, but don’t dismiss Silverado. The silvery-white petioles almost glow against the deep green leaves and this slow-to-bolt variety is also compact, growing about 16 inches tall. 
• Fordhook Giant – The most widely grown chard, Fordhook Giant is vigorous, reliable, beautiful, and has excellent heat tolerance. The medium-green leaves and bright white stems are delicious at any stage. 
• Argentata – This Italian heirloom chard is super vigorous with massive green leaves – up to 3 feet tall! – and vivid white stalks. 

Where to grow a Swiss chard rainbow

Chard is a multipurpose crop perfect for vegetable gardens (and a crop of early greens), but you can also plant it in flower and ornamental beds or containers. The showy leaves and bright colors create eye-catching displays. It grows best in full sun and fertile, well-draining soil, but is tolerant of a wide range of conditions including part shade. 

How to plant Swiss chard

Swiss chard is planted in early spring to late spring, depending on your location. The plants can tolerate light frost and direct seeding begins 2 to 3 weeks before the danger of frost has passed. This is my first sowing of the year and if you want a non-stop baby harvest continue to sprinkle more seeds in your garden every 3 to 4 weeks throughout spring and summer. Sow seeds a half inch deep and 2 inches apart and gently firm the soil after planting. Water regularly to encourage good germination and plant establishment.

Swiss chard is a cool season vegetable and also makes an excellent autumn crop. Direct sow seeds or transplant seedlings in mid to late summer for full-sized plants. If planted in a cold frame or greenhouse you’ll enjoy tasty chard leaves for an extended period. 

You can also transplant Swiss chard seedlings into garden beds or containers. Start the seeds indoors under grow lights or in a sunny window 4-6 weeks before you wish to transplant them outside. Harden off the seedlings and plant them as early as 2 weeks before the last frost date. Young plants can withstand a light frost and more mature plants can tolerate a moderate frost, but if a hard freeze threatens, cover with row covers. 

Chard growing tips

Swiss chard is a pretty hands-off crop, provided it’s given the right growing conditions (full sun, fertile and well-draining soil). However, there are a few things you can do to boost vigor.

• Thin – Once the seeds sprout, thin seedlings so they’re 4 to 6 inches apart in rows approx 12 to 18 inches apart. This final spacing allows the plants room to grow and mature. 
• Weed – Hoe or pull weeds as they appear to reduce competition for light, water, and nutrients. I’m a big fan of collinear hoes because they’re easy to use and are quick to remove small weeds.
• Fertilize – For steady growth, fertilize soil at planting time with a slow release organic vegetable fertilizer. If you’re growing in pots, add the granular fertilizer to the growing mix at planting time or use a liquid fish emulsion to feed plants every 3 to 4 weeks.
• Protect – As summer turns to fall and temperatures drop, protect chard from heavy frost with row covers. Row covers can be floated on hoops over the plants or laid directly on top of the leaves. I also grow a late autumn and early winter crop of chard in a cold frame. In mild winter areas you can continue to harvest from your plants, but you may wish to use a row cover during the coldest parts of winter. 

Harvesting from your swiss chard rainbow

Harvest from your Swiss chard rainbow from late spring through mid-summer for a baby leaf crop or let the seedlings grow into mature plants. To harvest the young leaves, hand pick individual stems as needed to make a brightly colored salad or toss them with other types of greens like kale, lettuce, and arugula. Or add the tender leaves to pastas and lasagna. 

It’s also easy to pick from full-sized plants by removing the outer leaves so the middle of the plant continues to grow. Carefully use a sharp serrated harvest knife to remove the stalks. As I harvest, I place the stems in a basket or large bowl so they don’t get bruised or damaged. Chop and sauté the large leaves and chard stems with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper for a delicious summer side dish, or add them to pastas, quiches, soups, and stir fries. You don’t need a specific rainbow chard recipe, just add the colorful stems and leaves to your family favorites. 

For more information on growing leafy greens, be sure to check out these awesome articles:

• Growing spinach in pots
• A guide to planting and growing romaine lettuce
• Mustard greens and collard greens – What’s the difference?
• Planting fast-growing arugula in your garden