Giant Noble

Watch for leaf miners and aphids on Swiss chard foliage; leaf miners leave winding trails and aphids cluster on new growth. Remove heavily infested leaves, blast aphids off with a strong water jet, and use insecticidal soap on affected plants in the morning, repeating every 5–7 days until pressure drops. If you see white powder on leaves (powdery mildew), improve airflow by spacing plants and water at the base rather than over the leaves, then remove infected leaves to slow spread.

Harvest when leaves are large enough for use and stems are thick, typically around 50 days from sowing (often a few weeks longer from transplant start). For best flavor and tenderness, pick outer leaves first, cutting at the base of each leaf so the center can keep producing. If leaves become very large and the plant bolts or stalks rise quickly, harvest immediately and remove bolting stems to maintain leaf quality.