The author of the text is MSc. Cecylia Loved Uklańska
Beetroot is a very famous and popular vegetable. However, few people know that its close relative, leaf beet, is the oldest cultivated form of its kind. Leaf beet Beta vulgaris var. cicla does not form an edible storage root, but the edible part is large, fleshy leaves with petioles.
Other names for this vegetable are chard or mangold.Chard with red colored leaves is often confused with chard, i.e. young red beet plants . It is a two-year plant, but one year to grow.
There are three forms of this beet: common chard with edible whole leaves, cardon chard (broad-tailed) with stalks prepared similarly to asparagus, and intermediate forms.The varieties also differ in the color of the leaves and petioles, which can be white, red, yellow and orange.
Leaf blades may have red discoloration and their surface can be heavily wrinkled. For this reason, beetroot plants can also successfully perform decorative functions in the garden, and even on terraces and balconies.
Leaf beetroot, similar to beetroot, creates seed balls that are used for its reproduction. It can be grown both from sowing and from seedlings.When cultivating from sowing, it is best to sow bunches in spots, 2-3 pieces at a distance of 40-50 x 20-30 centimeters.The plants are grown both for spring-summer and autumn harvesting, then the seeds are sown in July.The emergence usually takes 2 weeks.
Chard should be grown in the second year after manure or compost. It grows on all types of soil, although it is not suitable for heavy, catchy and very sandy soil. In the early stages of growth, she is sensitive to water shortage.
The collection of leaves can be started when there are at least 6-8 leaves in the rosette.The inner young leaves can be eaten raw as an addition to salads, while the older ones should be cooked.Fleshy petioles can be cooked like asparagus and the leaf blades like spinach.
Source of vitamins
Chard is a source of easily digestible protein, mineral s alts, primarily calcium and iron, as well as vitamins C, B1, B2 and provitamin A, i.e. ß-carotene. It is classified as an easily digestible vegetable, therefore it is sometimes recommended in the nutrition of children.
The most common variety for sale is 'Lukullus', which has brightly colored creamy-green or green-white leaf petioles and large green-yellow leaves. It is recommended for spring and summer cultivation, but it can be successfully grown for autumn harvesting.The vegetation period is about 60-70 days from planting. The sowing rate specified by the manufacturer is 15-20 g / 10 m².
A more interesting decorative variety is 'Rhubarb Chard' with red petioles with slight discoloration also on the leaf blades.The sowing standard for both varieties is the same.Leaves of the 'Rhubarb Chard' variety can be successfully used for cooking red borscht, which has a more subtle taste compared to red beet borscht.
