Chard Bright Lights

Chard Bright Lights Chard Seeds

[60 days] Developed by New Zealand breeder John Eaton, Bright Lights is one of the more beautiful leafy green mixes around. Colors include everything from scarlet and gold to orange, pink, and purple. All are delicious, especially when harvested young for salads. Eat like beet greens or spinach.

This variety isn’t quite as winter hardy as other chards, but can otherwise be grown year round. (Just give it a bit of protection in the winter.) It’s slow to bolt, so you don’t need to sow it very often. It also can be a prolific self-seeder, so let it go to seed and you’ll have plenty of chard volunteers coming up the following year.

An AAS winner.

Common Questions

Is it easy to grow Chard in my garden? The best time to start planting chard is 2 weeks before the last frost of the season. Start by sowing your chard seeds an inch deep, leaving between 2 and 6 inches apart. As the chard grows you will need to think about thinning as chard seeds produce more than one plant.

How do I germinate Bright Light Chard? You can soak your seeds overnight before sowing to help speed up the germination. Chard seeds tend to germinate in 5 to 7 days in warmer soil (16-18°C), however they can take up to 3 weeks in colder conditions. Your seeds will not germinate if your soil is colder than 10°C.

If I grow chard from seeds does it grow back every year? Chard has a two year life cycle, this is called a biennial plant. It is cultivated as an annual vegetable and usually only harvested for one season of growth.