My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

It should be fine, in fact the little leaves that it makes around the flower
stem will be quite tender and sweet.

David

On Sun, 11 May 2008 17:38:16 -0400, MrMe wrote:

My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

Thanks David. I'll give 'em a try. In fact I felt like a fool for
asking before I tried some of the chard this evening. I felt
for sure someone would reply with "Why not try them for
yourself before posting". So I did. I didn't notice anything
different about it at all. Still good as ever.

I love the Swiss Chard stalks. This particular crop was planted
last spring and grew over the winter. Due to the cold weather
it did not grow so much in the leaf, but the stocks grew in
width. Some of the stocks were close to 3 inches wide by the
time spring of this year rolled around. And then the leaves
caught up in growth. And now some of it is 3 feet tall and
have an abundance of green flowers at the top. I'm hoping
to get some seed (corms) from them. I planted more just
before winter and will be chowing on it soon. BTW, it is growing
here in North Carolina. Mild winters, hot summers.

Do you know anything about gathering them corms David ?

Thanks again,

= Me =

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

It should be fine, in fact the little leaves that it makes around the
flower
stem will be quite tender and sweet.

I agree, but the older leaves and the stalks will be tough.

Only 3' tall though? Mine have always been more like 6'!

Mary

David

On Mon, 12 May 2008 09:31:12 +0100, Mary Fisher wrote:


"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

It should be fine, in fact the little leaves that it makes around the
flower
stem will be quite tender and sweet.

I agree, but the older leaves and the stalks will be tough.

Only 3' tall though? Mine have always been more like 6'!

Mary

David


Actually 3' - 4'. How tall was yourn when the flowers set ? Do the
flowers stay green or do they open with petals etc. at some point ?
In what state/climate do you ( and S. Chard ) reside ? And how old are
they at 6' .?

= Me =

$ set proc/priv=all
$ @sys$system:shutdown -now

"MrMe" wrote in message
news


Actually 3' - 4'. How tall was yourn when the flowers set ?

About 5' on average.

Do the
flowers stay green or do they open with petals etc. at some point ?

There's a proper inflorescence.

In what state/climate do you ( and S. Chard ) reside ?

I don't live in a state (except of chaos!), I live in Yorkshire, England.

And how old are
they at 6' .?

A few months, I've sown the seed in early summer and harvested the greens
and stems, they've stood through the winter than in spring they bolt.

I grow 'rainbow' chard, i.e. there are many different coloured stems. I love
the flavour, Spouse tolerates it. But he agrees that the colours are so
beautiful that they're worth having in the agrden. I haven't sown any this
year because we're short of room. We only have a small garden and one of the
veg plots has been turned into a soft fruit cage this year so I only have
three small patches dedicated to vegetables.

Mary

Mary

In article ,
MrMe wrote:

On Mon, 12 May 2008 09:31:12 +0100, Mary Fisher wrote:


"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

"MrMe" wrote in message
news My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

It should be fine, in fact the little leaves that it makes around the
flower
stem will be quite tender and sweet.

I agree, but the older leaves and the stalks will be tough.

Only 3' tall though? Mine have always been more like 6'!

Mary

David


Actually 3' - 4'. How tall was yourn when the flowers set ? Do the
flowers stay green or do they open with petals etc. at some point ?
In what state/climate do you ( and S. Chard ) reside ? And how old are
they at 6' .?

= Me =

$ set proc/priv=all
$ @sys$system:shutdown -now



Nice if you have room to let them continue on but some of mine are
crowding the garden and as a result they are not long for this world.
Time for them to move on and make room for the next generation.
--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

Your plants will still be edible. Pick all the leaves once you harvest the
seeds as the plants will die. They're biennials.


= Me =

In article ,
"Katey Didd" wrote:

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

Your plants will still be edible. Pick all the leaves once you harvest the
seeds as the plants will die. They're biennials.


= Me =

You can slow things down by cutting the bolting stalk.
--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

On Sun, 11 May 2008 17:38:16 -0400, MrMe wrote:

My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

Thank you all for your posts. All have been very helpful and
most encouraging. It was especially good to hear that I can
continue to harvest right up until it goes to seed ( at which
time I will do a final harvest, steam slightly and then freeze
in portions ).

Thanks to all,

= Me =

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Katey Didd" wrote:

"MrMe" wrote in message
news
My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

Your plants will still be edible. Pick all the leaves once you harvest
the
seeds as the plants will die. They're biennials.


= Me =

You can slow things down by cutting the bolting stalk.

I have not gotten more leaves that way. They just threw up more but smaller
seed stalks. If I don't want the seeds, and how many seeds can one use, I
cut the stalk off and eat the rest of the plant.

--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

In article ,
"Katey Didd" wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Katey Didd" wrote:

"MrMe" wrote in message
news My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

Your plants will still be edible. Pick all the leaves once you harvest
the
seeds as the plants will die. They're biennials.


= Me =

You can slow things down by cutting the bolting stalk.

I have not gotten more leaves that way. They just threw up more but smaller
seed stalks. If I don't want the seeds, and how many seeds can one use, I
cut the stalk off and eat the rest of the plant.

--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

The chard isn't dying, it's bolting. I've had some plants for seven to
eight years. Cut them back and use the small leaves in salads.
--

Billy
Bush Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

MrMe wrote:
On Sun, 11 May 2008 17:38:16 -0400, MrMe wrote:

My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

Hey ... Nobody ever mentioned that wasps like to build
their little hives attached to the underside of large
leaves.... I've found 3 so far, and tonight I was pickin'
some of them smaller leaves off the main stalk and
a couple wasps buzzed my head.. I ran like hell ( allergic
to bee sting ) .

Can't wait to cook them small leaves up an eat'em.


= Me =

Those wasps do make life more exciting at times! Last year, wasps were
building two or three nests a week around my place. This year hasn't
been so prolific, thankfully. I'm allergic to bee stings too, but not to
wasp stings. Lucky me!?

On Sun, 11 May 2008 17:38:16 -0400, MrMe wrote:

My swiss chard has bolted some time ago. The stalks are about
3 foot tall. I am hoping to gather some seeds from it for next
planting.

My question is: Can we continue to eat it..? Will it still be
palatable ? I've heard that some plants become more bitter
when this happens.

= Me =

Hey ... Nobody ever mentioned that wasps like to build
their little hives attached to the underside of large
leaves.... I've found 3 so far, and tonight I was pickin'
some of them smaller leaves off the main stalk and
a couple wasps buzzed my head.. I ran like hell ( allergic
to bee sting ) .

Can't wait to cook them small leaves up an eat'em.


= Me =