Swiss Chard

Hi guys got given some swiss chard seedlings. Not sure how to treat them they are about 3in tall just wondering when they should be going into the ground as i've got a lovely spot for them. Any info will be greatly received.

 

I think if you have them in a seed tray, or similar, it would be better to pot them on for a bit. If they are already in 3" pots, or module cells, then they may be ready to go out. Knock one out of the pot (or push out of the module cell) and see if the roots have filled the soil, if so they are definitely realy to put out.

Make sure you harden them off first - out during the day (in a sheltered spot), in at night, over the course of a week.

But having said that 3" tall sounds big enough to go out to me.

 

I've had them about 2 weeks already, keep opening up the blow away every day would that suffice as hardening off.

 

This was some of mine a few days ago:



They're now in a coldframe and will probably get planted out next weekend at the earliest as there's some rain forecast and they'll also be slightly larger. As Kristen says I check the roots first by easing a couple of corner modules out and if the soils falls off the roots I'll leave then a while longer, but if the soil stays in blocks held together by roots they'll get planted out.