How to grow Swiss Chard microgreens is super simple. I expect any beginner microgreens grower to successfully grow these micros with no serious problems.
The scientific name for Swiss Chard is Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris. It is in the beet family. Chard is a wonderful source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Pictured above is a mature regular Swiss Chard crop. It takes some 50 to 60 days to grow Swiss Chard to full maturity. However, Swiss Chard microgreens are generally ready for harvest in about 10 to 12 days. This is about 15% less time required vs growing them to full maturity.
Checklist for growing Swiss Chard Microgreens
In order to grow Chard microgreens and any microgreens type, for that matter & to do so successfully, there are a few items required. The following checklist assumes that the grower is a complete greenhorn in the world of microgreens.
If you have been growing microgreens for a while, you likely have the majority of items indicated in the checklist. Simply skip what you got. So go ahead and run through the list and determine what you need…
- Microgreens trays (supplier)
- Grow lights (supplier)
- Soil sifting pan (supplier)
- Swiss Chard seeds (supplier)
- Water spray (supplier)
- Ziploc bags (supplier)
- Kitchen scissors (supplier)
- Seed Shaker (supplier)
- Mason jar for soaking (supplier)
- Water for watering
- Garden soil
Practical steps for growing Swiss Chard Microgreens
Microgreens growers who face problems growing Chard micros often trip on one specific thing. Once this one thing is understood, it becomes a game changer. So wait for it, we shall deal with it in the growing steps.
In this guide, I will be sharing with you step-by-step how to grow Swiss Chard microgreens without fail. This makes growing Swiss Chard microgreens slightly different from growing most other microgreens such as kale, cabbage, lettuce , sunflower and so on.
Microgreens are very nice to eat as a mix. This means mixing say your chard micros with a variety of other microgreens such as lettuce, chives, lentils and so on. As you start to grow your chard microgreens, it may also be the best time to grow other microgreens so you can mix them later in a salad.
1. Get your Swiss Chard microgreens seeds ready
Get your chard seeds ready. The image above shows chard seeds. The type of seeds we want to use in growing microgreens are those that are not chemically treated. This is an important consideration to avoid food poisoning from the chemicals.
In addition your seeds must be dry. You can find Swiss Chard seeds at your local gardening store or online. Once you have the seeds in hand, let’s jump to the next step.
2. Soak your seeds overnight
Take a Mason jar and soak your seeds from 8 hours to a day or two. Shown here is moments after putting the seeds in water on day 1 of the soak.
To do well, Swiss Chard microgreens seeds must be soaked prior to planting. This is that one thing I mentioned earlier. This thing causes some growers to fall on their sword when attempting to grow chard micros.
So the hake behind a successful Swiss Chard microgreens crop is to soak the seeds first. This dramatically improves germination rate. It also reduces the time it takes for the seeds to germinate.
Swiss Chard seeds are very tough when dry. They don’t look like they could produce any life at all. By soaking the seeds, we are preconditioning them for germination. As shown in the image above, the seeds start off floating on top of the water. This will change.
Some growers put the seeds in the fridge overnight. This is thought to “shock” the seeds into germination once planted. I am yet to use this method. Currently, I just soak the seeds as shown here.
3. Remove seeds from soak and prepare for planting
After at least 8 hours of soaking your chard seeds, this is what it looks like. The seeds have sunk to the bottom of the jar. A good sign of moisture absorption which in turn loosens the protective outer covering. This makes the embryonic plant enclosed inside easier to breakout.
The seeds are now ready for planting. However, we need to have some soil and tray ready.
4. Get your Swiss Chard microgreens growing medium ready
There are a variety of growing mediums for microgreens. My experience is Swiss Chard microgreens do so well when grown directly in the soil. By any means, this is not special soil but just regular soil gathered from a garden.
However, I prefer to sift the soil into fine particles before use. While this is not mandatory, I find it incredibly useful that it removes any debris in the soil. Microgreens have tender roots. Fine soil free of debris makes it easy for the micros to penetrate the growing medium.
You can sift your soil using a soil sifting pan. To save time, you could use the time while the seeds are soaking to sift the soil.
5. Get a microgreens grow tray or grow container ready
The next step, once the soil is ready and the seeds are soaked and ready for planting, is to get the grow tray ready. To be honest, the majority of microgreens can be grown in simple containers. I have used repurposed supermarket punnets to grow micros.
However, as you take the adventure up a notch, you may consider investing in commercial trays as shown above. Here are examples available online.
Whichever tray or container you get to use, the tray must have drainage holes underneath. Microgreens should not be allowed to be waterlogged. In addition, you will need the holes in order to implement a simple watering method that I recommend as you shall see.
6. Fill microgreens grow tray with the sifted soil
At this stage, we have three main things ready. Seed, growing medium and a tray. Next, fill the grow tray with the soil. Gently compact the soil leveling it up. Leave about 10mm clearance at the top so the soil doesn’t spill out of the tray.
7. Water the grow tray filled with soil
The next step before planting Swiss Chard microgreens seeds is to water the grow tray. At this point the grow tray is filled with soil. To avoid disturbing the soil, I use the watering method shown above. It is smart and eliminates the need for a watering spray.
As shown above, all you need is a bigger tray or container. Place your grow tray filled with soil in the bigger container and fill it with water. Water will sip into the soil using the holes beneath the tray.
Take note that this is the only time we are to do watering until after germination of the micros.
8. Plant your Swiss Chard Microgreens seeds
It is now time to plant the chard seeds as shown in this image.
Using a seed shaker, spread your Swiss Chard seeds densely and also evenly across the surface of the soil in the tray. In the event that you do not have a seed shaker, use your hands to do the same.
9. Gently push the seeds into the soil
The next step after spreading your seeds on the soil is to press them in. We do this to establish contact between the seeds and the moist soil.
Using this method, I often avoid the need to bury the seeds under a layer of soil.
Use your four fingers (excluding thumb) to gently gently press the seeds into the soil. Because the soil is super wet, the seeds will offer no resistance.
Avoid having the seeds buried in the soil. All we want is a gentle contact with the soil and that’s it.
10. Put some weight over the tray and put away
The next step is to cover the planted tray with a card as shown here. This veil can be plastic board, cardboard paper or even glass.
You may also place a stone or another grow tray on top of the card for additional weight. This will not damage the seeds.
Believe it or not, this offers some weight over the planted seeds that is very useful in encouraging an even and successful germination.
After covering your tray like this and putting a weight on top, you may store it away. This has to be a cool dry place with good air circulation. This could be under the kitchen sink, in a store room or under a shed.
11. After germination, move the tray to a light source
After 3-4 days (you can start checking at day 2), your Swiss Chard microgreens should be ready to be unveiled. Sometimes it happens that all seeds are not germinated or fully germinated. The image above shows the micros on first day under the light.
Shown above are the Swiss Chard microgreens at 3 days after germination.
Oftentimes I just look for a 85%-95% germination rate. If I have this, my standard is that the tray is ready to be exposed to the light.
Now, the light source should not be natural. This is where you will need especially made grow lights such as fluorescent lamps (see checklist above). Place your tray about 30cm before these artificial lights.
Again this location should have good air circulation and out of direct sunlight. Microgreens tend to have the flavour compromised if left in direct sunlight.
We also use artificial light set directly above the microgreens tray to encourage rapid and upright growth. The file image above from one of my grows shows this upright growth.
12. Water the Swiss Chard microgreens
At the time of taking the germinated microgreens out into the light, (step 11) we also take the opportunity to water the tray. This will be the first watering since step 7.
The method of watering is as shown in the image above. Again it is designed to be smart. It also reduces risk of mold developing. This is because no contact is allowed between the top of the growing Swiss Chard microgreens and water.
Going forward, water the tray every other day depending on your climatic conditions. In hot conditions, it may become necessary to water every day.
The image immediately above shows a moisture stressed tray of microgreens. This can happen quickly in hot climates. Once the tray is watered in time, the microgreens will regain their upright posture.
13. Harvest your microgreens
Harvest time! This is the best time of all. At about 7 or 8 days after planting, yoru Swiss Chard microgreens should be ready for harvest.
When exactly to harvest your micros is based on personal judgement. What is key is to avoid late harvest. For this reason, most growers, myself included, aim to take harvest just before the Swiss Chard microgreens develop the third leaf.
The emergence of a third leaf signals that the microgreens are geared for transition to become seedlings. We don’t want to get there. A lot of changes begin to happen which affect the taste and flavour of the microgreens.
Swiss Chard microgreens stalks are very much edible. When harvesting, the idea is to cut (using a good kitchen scissors) as close as possible near but not in contact with the soil.
Swiss Chard microgreens do not regrow. Once the harvest is done that’s it. You need a new crop to enjoy them again.
14. Store your Swiss Chard microgreens
As happens many times, unless you are feeding many people, it takes more than one sitting to finish even a medium size tray of microgreens.
In that case, we must think about good enough storage. We must keep in mind that microgreens do not last for very long once harvested.
Tops, I work with 3 to 4 days for best quality. Thereafter, they can start yellowing and what not making them unsuitable for human consumption. All this happens even in the fridge.
For storage, you can put your harvested Swiss Chard microgreens in a plastic bag of the ziploc type. You want to keep air out for as long as possible. Once in a ziploc, store in the fridge and consume as needed.
So this is how to grow Swiss Chard microgreens. Overall, this is a straightforward process producing fantastic results.
