Swiss Chard, Five Colour Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris cicla)

A very old variety from the 1850s. A cousin to the garden beet, grown for its tasty leaves and stems rather than its root. The stalks come in a rainbow of colours - red, yellow, orange, pink and cream and are beautiful in the garden.
To grow: Swiss chard is a cool-weather crop that also tolerates a fair bit of heat once it’s established. Direct sow in early spring and then again in late summer for a fall crop. Sow ½-¾” deep and thin to 15” apart. Companions: peas, beans, tomatoes, onions.