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Old December 15, 2014   #1
Labradors2
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Default Dwarf chard?

This fall, I bought two pots of multi-coloured chard from Home Depot to grow over the winter. One looked normal size and the other was more dense and had smaller leaves which I assumed would grow bigger. However, the chard with the smaller leaves never did catch up to it's friend. I remember reading both tags when I brought them home and wondering if one was some kind of dwarf, but although the tags were different, both indicated that they wouldn't be huge plants and I tossed the tags when I potted the plants into large containers.

I harvested some leaves to cook for supper the other night, feeling a bit duped that the smaller one didn't fill out as expected. The leaves are small, but very substantial.

The interesting thing is that when I accidentally broke a leaf off yesterday and ate it, the taste was out of this world. Lovely and sweet and tasty! I need seeds of this to put in salads!

Thinking that I would find out all about Dwarf Chard on the net, I Googled it - and found nothing. Apparently, it doesn't exist - or does it?

Linda
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Old December 15, 2014   #2
moray-eel-bite
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I've grown chard for quite a few years and never heard of dwarf. But who knows? If you overwinter it it should bloom... Maybe you can 'invent' it.
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Old December 16, 2014   #3
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I think I will have to keep it going and create my own strain from this pretty red-veined one.

I tried researching some more last night and there is a dwarf, but it's green and white It's called Silverado and is 14-16" tall.


I also discovered something called "perpetual spinach" which sounds interesting and is really a beet....

Linda
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Old December 16, 2014   #4
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This picture makes the plant look enormous, but the green part of the leaf that I am holding (thumb at the very bottom) measures just 3" long by 3.5" wide and you can see that there is hardly any red stem!

Linda
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Old December 16, 2014   #5
KarenO
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Hi Linda,
cute little plant but I am wondering if it might be small for reasons other than genetic dwarfism. crowding, acidic pH as well as transplanting can result in stunted growth of chard plants. Chard is also a very heavy feeder and likes a lot of nitrogen.
Just a thought?
Karen
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Old December 16, 2014   #6
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That would be my bet. One way to find out though.


Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenO View Post
Hi Linda,
I am wondering if it might be small for reasons other than genetic dwarfism.
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Old December 16, 2014   #7
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Thanks Karen, I wonder if someone used some growth inhibitor on these plants! Time will tell and they will have three months to see if they put on a growth spurt. They are in a medium containing some slow-release fert and I've recently given them some Tomato Tone. The leaves are very thick!

Linda
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