It is easy for me to remember when I sowed the seeds that have become these unstoppable Swiss chard plants (there are two). It was September of 2010. I was pregnant and still managing the “all day” sickness as I hosted a square foot gardening workshop in my backyard. I was new to the idea, and in return for being host, I got my very own square foot garden bed. Not much took off in the bed that fall. The adjacent nectarine tree had not been pruned recently and shaded the bed too much. The swiss chard, however, thrived.

The bed was planted the following spring, but having a newborn usurped any energy I had for the garden. Again, not much grew, but the Swiss chard kept going, and going, and going. Continue reading →