Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program





'Fordhook Giant' Swiss Chard
 
Sub-Category: None
 
Sub-Category 2:
Description: Compact plants with thick, dark-green, savoyed leaves with white veins and broad, white stems. Harvest baby greens in 25 days.
Days To Maturity: 50-58
Seed Sources: Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2014
Western Wonder, LLC - updated in 2011
BBBseed - updated in 2011

 
Rating Summary
 
Overall: (4.9 Stars)Overall
Taste: (4.6 Stars)Taste
Yield: (4.8 Stars)Yield
Ease/Reliability: (4.8 Stars)Ease/Reliability
 
Reviews
 
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Number of Reviews: 14

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KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 12/17/2020 by v_gardener - An intermediate gardener

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Westchester, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

The Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard variety is one of the most productive crops in my garden. I planted 2 rows of these in the Spring, and was harvesting these almost everyday to put into salads. The taste is ok, so if you are growing it to eat, either cook it, or add some good dressing to a salad. These were bothered by some aphids in the beginning, but these continued to produce the entire time. Very productive, heat tolerant, cold tolerant, and holds up well against pests.
 

Reviewed on 01/23/2015 by Debbie L - An experienced gardener

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Orange, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Good grower. Very easy.
 

Reviewed on 08/17/2014 by compost lady - An experienced gardener

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Westchester, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This has become my favorite variety! Mild tasting, tender and easy to grow. Did notice leaf miner early in spring season.
 

Reviewed on 07/21/2014 by edeven - A novice gardener

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Porter, Indiana, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Have grown many varieties of chard but this is probably my favorite for taste - the huge flat white stems are much sweeter than other varieties I've tried, and the greens are nice and sturdy, a good dark green. (The more tender and lighter varieties seem more attractive to leaf miners, and need more watering or want shade more than the Fordhook.) Grow easily and abundantly and our 1.5' by 3' patch keeps us in leafy greens from June through October, and when I harvest it before the snow comes there's enough to freeze for a while!
 

Reviewed on 12/04/2013 by kcolarusso - An intermediate gardener

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St. Lawrence, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Large plants that are cold hardy. Grows well in Upstate NY.
 

Reviewed on 03/22/2012 by JulsInAZ - An intermediate gardener

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Maricopa, Arizona, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This is a winter crop in mild climates. I direct sow in October and harvest usually into April. Once the temperatures start to rise, the leaves become bitter. Germination can be hit or miss for direct sown seed, but leaves can be harvested individually and the plant will keep producing. Classic chard flavor. I grow some every year.
 

Reviewed on 12/15/2010 by Gaucho - An intermediate gardener

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Houghton, Michigan, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Big, Color, Flavor 5 stars, very Good for Farmers Market. easy for grow.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 12/02/2009 by susiehomemaker - An experienced gardener

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Daviess, Indiana, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

The only chard I grow. A+ on every count.
 

Reviewed on 08/14/2009 by a_hermit - An experienced gardener

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Tompkins, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds.

Excellent chard, a classic, large sweet leaves, fast growing, etc, nothing bad to say. If you haven't grown chard this is a great start. If you have, make it a regular in the garden. Cut it back mid-late summer for the fall crop, I sow direct in mid-April in central NY.
 
2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 06/23/2009 by TheFluffyOne - An experienced gardener

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Kane, Illinois, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

If there is a better green I want to know what it ise. These plants are incredible. I start them indoors in the spring and plant out when still frosty. They take a while to get going but with amble water they are incredibly productive. In my cold climate zone 4b/5a I can keep them growing thru march by placing a clear plastic shower curtain over them and place 4 16 oz soda bottle 3/4 filled with water around them and then rotate in a couple of gallon of water each day. Just that keeps them from freezing and the keep going thru March when I prep the bed for the spring planting. Come summer the keep growing right through the 100 degree days without getting bitter. Good flavor, great reliability, a cut, grow, and cut again plant with tremendous overall yield.
 
2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 12/28/2007 by daveydonuts - An intermediate gardener

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Washington, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Incredibly easy to grow; just get the seedlings going and occasionally add water. The plants look impressive-I have seen them planted as ornamentals-if allowed to mature, but in my garden the leaves are usually harvested long before they get too big because they are tasty cooked with some oil and garlic. In my experience Chard has been incredibly resistant to both frost and pests. You can't harvest it from under snow like some Kale, but we have enjoyed it well into November from garden without protection from a cold frame.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 03/22/2007 by MikeM - An experienced gardener

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Ontario, Canada
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Easy to grow, prolific, inexpensive seed, tastes great. I've grown 100-200 ft each season for the past four years with excellent results.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 01/22/2006 by KentB - An experienced gardener

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Minnesota, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day

Generally very productive, upright & clean. Very large ribs, large leaves moderately easy to clean. Does best started just a bit later than package recommends in our dry northern sand.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 12/12/2005 by remyo - An experienced gardener

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Erie, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Incredibly easy to grow from seed directly planted in the ground. Grows well in cold rainy conditions or hot dry conditions. Does not need extra fertilizer to do well in my clay but amended soil. Stalks grow wide but saute nicely.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  




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