When to plant swiss chard
Swiss Chard is a cool-season crop that tolerates light frost and prefers to grow in cool weather. Chard tolerates both light frost and summer heat, so one planting can last all season.
- Sow seeds outdoors 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after the last spring frost.
- For a fall crop, sow 8–10 weeks before the first fall frost.
About 55 days from planting to harvest.
Get exact dates for your garden
Planting dates by hardiness zone
| Zone | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2a | May 24 | — | May 10 – Jun 7 | Jun 28 – Jul 12 |
| 3b | May 17 | — | May 3 – May 31 | Jul 16 – Jul 30 |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Apr 28 – May 26 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| 4b | May 8 | — | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| 5a | May 3 | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| 5b | May 1 | — | Apr 17 – May 15 | Aug 2 – Aug 16 |
| 6a | Apr 29 | — | Apr 15 – May 13 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| 6b | Apr 22 | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| 7a | Apr 16 | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| 7b | Apr 5 | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| 8a | Mar 29 | — | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| 8b | Mar 16 | — | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| 9a | Mar 3 | — | Feb 17 – Mar 17 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| 9b | Feb 20 | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| 10a | Mar 2 | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
Zone rows use the median frost dates of all ZIP codes in that zone. Zones measure winter cold, not season length, so two places in the same zone can have frost dates weeks apart — use your ZIP code for real dates.
When to plant swiss chard in major cities
| City | Median last frost | Sow outdoors | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | Mar 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Portland, OR | Feb 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 25 | Apr 11 – May 9 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Denver, CO | Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 14 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Apr 23 | Apr 9 – May 7 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Chicago, IL | Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 11 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Columbus, OH | Apr 20 | Apr 6 – May 4 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 18 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Washington, DC | Mar 29 | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Nashville, TN | Apr 1 | Mar 18 – Apr 15 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 25 | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Dallas, TX | Mar 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
Growing swiss chard: quick facts
| Frost tolerance | Half-hardy: tolerates light frost (about 28–32°F) |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | at least 40°F to germinate; 50–85°F is ideal |
| Planting depth | ½ in |
| Spacing | 6–12 in |
| Germination | 7–14 days |
| Days to harvest | about 55 days from planting |
Typical figures from university extension planting guides. Seed packets give the best numbers for a specific variety.