Mangold Lukullus- chard seeds

Beta vulgaris - Lucullus

It has very strong, often reddish leaf stalks and large blistered leaves. We distinguish two types of chard – leaf chard and stalk chard. Leaf chard has finer stalks and smaller blistered leaves in green, green-purple, purple to red colors. Stalk chard has heavily ribbed leaves and thick stalks. Chard leaves are used in the kitchen similarly to spinach, while the stalks substitute for asparagus. It contains high amounts of vitamin C, provitamin A, minerals, and fiber. Among minerals, it contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and iron. It contains rutin, quercetin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The leaves are added to salads, used for spinach or in combination with other vegetables. The stems are braised or cooked with meat, and the color of the stems enhances every dish.

How to Grow Chard

• It requires a sunny location and a sheltered position. It doesn't thrive in locations exposed to frequent rain and subsequent soil drying. During the growing season, keep the bed weed-free, loosen the soil, and water regularly. It grows well near onions, lettuce, or bush beans. You can also grow it alongside sage, thyme, mint, dill, or garlic. In autumn, remove the leaves from the plants, leaving only the heart. Place the prepared seedlings in a cold frame, greenhouse, or polytunnel where they'll be protected from frost. In April, tender leaves will appear. Chard plants can overwinter directly in their location. It's necessary to cover the plants with suitable material, such as leaves or straw.

• For summer harvest, grow it from direct sowing around mid-April; for autumn harvest, sow from the beginning of June.

  Plant leaf types at 30 x 20 cm spacing, stalk types at 50 x 30 cm. Sow seeds at a depth of about 3 cm. Plants will emerge in approximately ten days. Then thin out the seedlings about two weeks after emergence.

• It prefers quality soils with sufficient nutrients.

• In less fertilized soils, add nitrogen fertilizers. Given the short growing season, additional fertilization in nutrient-rich soils is neither desirable nor necessary.

• Chard generally doesn't suffer from diseases. It's only attacked by aphids, which can be eliminated with soapy water or special insecticides – it's important to observe the protective period. Root rot is caused by poor care – frequent watering with large amounts of water, or planting young plants in permanently waterlogged soil.

• Harvest gradually from August by breaking off mature leaves or all at once by cutting off the entire above-ground part. You can perform several harvests.