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Swiss Chard is a cool-weather crop that can even be planted before the last frost. Swiss Chard can be harvested anywhere from 25 to 50 days. And it can be grown with other cool-weather crops in the garden to gain benefits from companion planting.
By using companion planting with Swiss Chard you can help repel harmful pests away from your crop and attract beneficial insects and pollinators to your garden. For example, it can be best to plant Swiss Chard with beans for the extra nitrogen they add to the soil or with onions for the bug-repelling abilities they give to the area. On the other hand, you would not want to plant Swiss Chard with crops like spinach or beets because this can easily create a pest infestation.
In this article, we go over what are good companion plants for Swiss Chard and what you should not plant with Swiss Chard in the garden.
Good Companion Plants for Swiss Chard
- Arugula
- Beans
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chives
- Garlic
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Marigolds
- Mint
- Nasturtiums
- Onions
- Radishes
- Shallots
- Turnips
- Tomatoes
Beans can help Swiss chard out due to the nitrogen that they help put into the soil. Be careful when planting pole beans though, as if you trellis these you have to make sure they aren’t going to block the sun from your chard. Bush beans are usually recommended as the better choice when it comes to companion planting with Swiss chard due to the possibility of the plant blocking sunlight.
Cabbage grows well near Swiss chard. Neither will compete with each other for space so they are a great combo for saving space in urban gardening or square foot gardening.
Chives, Garlic, Onions, and Shallots all have an odor that helps repel unwanted pests. Using any of these as a companion plant for Swiss Chard can help keep harmful bugs off of your crop. In addition to repelling harmful insects, when these crops bloom they help attract beneficial insects. Chives work especially well for attracting pollinators to the garden early in the season.
Lettuce and Kale are another space-saving companion plant option that grows well with Swiss Chard.
Marigolds are a versatile companion plant that also does well with Swiss Chard. These not only help attract beneficial insects and pollinators, but they also help keep away nematodes which can be harmful to some crops.
Mint benefits Swiss chard by repelling harmful insects, like flea beetles, and attracting pollinators. If you plan to use mint as a companion crop always make sure to grow mint in a pot or container of some sort. Mint can easily overtake a garden and needs to be in a container to control its growth.
Nasturtiums are another flower that is very versatile in companion planting. They help repel aphids and also attract beneficial insects to the area.
What Not to Plant with Swiss Chard
- Amaranth
- Beets
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Melons
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Squash
- Sunflowers
Amaranth, Beets, and Spinach are all in the same family as Swiss Chard and can attract the same pests and diseases. It is best to plant these crops away from each other to help control pests populations and possible diseases from wiping out all of your related crops.
Sunflowers should not be planted with Swiss Chard. They are allelopathic, meaning that they have a chemical that they put out which can be harmful to some nearby plants and stunt growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Companion Plants for Swiss Chard
Yes, you can plant Swiss chard with tomatoes. When doing companion planting with tomatoes and Swiss chard, you will be planting tomato seedlings. The chard will be ready to be harvested before the tomato plants are fully grown since chard is a cooler season crop.
Yes, you can plant carrots and Swiss chard together. However, when it comes to companion planting the two crops don’t provide any benefits for the other. So if you are looking for a more beneficial crop for your chard it would be better to choose something other than carrots. But if you are just looking for a crop that can go next to Swiss chard without harming either crop then carrots are a good choice.
References
- Companion Planting Chart, WVU.edu