I really want to know what is going on with my poor little red Swiss Chard! Something strange and bizarre is happening, and I don’t know why, or if it’s bad, and how to stop it if it is… or should I let it go? Maybe it’s just at the end of it’s life cycle. It’s turning into a vine!!!
Here’s the deal: last year I planted red swiss chard for the first time ever. My grandma had had it in her garden, so I thought I knew what to expect from the little guy. I searched for it in all the garden stores, and just when I had almost given up (I guess it’s just not a very popular plant), I found it! The farmers market had one – A little spindly, and split into two plants, but she was cute, so I went for it (when they are babies they are she, and when they grow they are he – not sure why, it just is.) After all of that searching, right after I planted the red – I found a regular white-stemmed Swiss Chard at one of the ordinary garden centers. I planted them both, and then moved on to other projects.
When they finally started producing, they were very very yummy, and lasted over the winter without freezing – I didn’t even have to cover them, which made me very, very happy :) – unlike most of the rest of my garden, which was demolished by the summer, and then obliterated by the freezes – sigh, such is life.
Then came 2010.
Here she was when I first started cleaning up the winter debris.
February 2010 - Cute Swiss Chard
Here he is now.
May 2010 - Spindly Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard - Right Now - with freaky little bloom
This started about a month ago – first this trunk like thing came up from the middle of the plant (which I chopped down – maybe that was a mistake?) Then he started sending up these weird skinny rounded stems, with little leaves, and then he went from big leafy bushy, to freaky spindly bushy. I’ve never seen this before – the new leaves are little bitty, and their stems are tough – I can’t even cook with them anymore – they are just too tough to eat! I’m also seeing little bloom heads, but no flowers yet – I wonder if it’s going to make seeds?
Swiss Chard are only supposed to last a couple of years – but my white Swiss Chard is the exact same age, and it is producing very nicely, with the traditional big leaves and thick stems. No freakyness there.
I have decided to just observe, and see what the little guy is going to do… Maybe I will try cooking the little bloom heads – I wonder if they are tasty?
My Dirt Challenge! 
